Household & Environmental Toxins

Question 1

aka Black Lung Disease

Answer 1

Coal Worker’s Pneumoconiasis

Question 2

aka Brown Lung Disease

Answer 2

Byssinosis - dust from cotton, flax, hemp - textile factory

Question 3

1 cause of accidental poisoning deaths in US

Answer 3

Carbon Monoxide - colorless, odorless

Question 4

CO poisoning - early symptoms

Answer 4

headaches, nausea, fatigue - often mistaken for FLU

Question 5

Odorless, colorless, enters buildings through cracks in foundation

Answer 5

Radon

Question 6

2 cause of lung cancer overall

Answer 6

Radon poisoning

Question 7

1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers

Answer 7

Radon poisoning

Question 8

First stage: Arsenic toxicity

Answer 8

metallic taste

Question 9

Second stage: Arsenic toxicity

Answer 9

garlic-like breath (like mentioned earlier)

Question 10

Fish high in mercury

Answer 10

Shark, tuna, swordfish (high up food-chain)

Question 11

Pregnant women should not consume >__oz of tuna per week

Answer 11

7 oz

Question 12

Heavy metal toxicity common in children

Answer 12

Lead

Question 13

Lead sources

Answer 13

paint, batteries

Question 14

Most concerning organ in children with lead toxicity

Answer 14

Brain

Question 15

Largest source of Aluminum

Answer 15

municipal water supplies

Question 16

Industrial Solvents - Dioxins and PCBs

Answer 16

“Agent Orange”
Break down very slowly
Banned in US in 1977

Question 17

Dioxins and PCBs: lipophilic or lipophobic?

Answer 17

Lipophilic

Question 18

Humans obtain what % of Dioxin and PCB exposure through food?

Answer 18

90%

Question 19

Dioxin and PCB t1/2 in body

Answer 19

D: ~7-11 years
PCB: ~8-15 years

Question 20

BPA exposure is mainly from what?

Answer 20

canned foods

Question 21

How to reduce BPA exposure

Answer 21

never microwave in plastic,
limit consumption of canned foods,
Avoid plastics w/ #7 recycling code

Question 22

Banned in 1972, worldwide in 2004

Answer 22

DDT (pesticide)

Question 23

Can take more than 15 years to break down

Answer 23

DDT

Question 24

New DDT contamination

Answer 24

Atmospheric deposition

Question 25

Odorless and FLAVORLESS, large amounts kill quickly, small amounts over time = slow death

Answer 25

Arsenic

Question 26

Human exposure to mercury

Answer 26

contaminated fish and direct exposure

Question 27

Pregnant women should not consume >__oz of tuna per week

Answer 27

7 oz

Question 28

Mercury is what type of toxin

Answer 28

Neurotoxin - Mercury specifically attacks brain and kidneys

Question 29

Lead poisoning common symptom - children

Answer 29

Blue gums

Question 30

Not technically heavy metal, can be toxic to brain and nervous system

Answer 30

Aluminum

Question 31

Aluminum poisoning symptoms mimic those of___?

Answer 31

Alzheimer's Disease

Question 32

What does EDC stand for?

Answer 32

Endocrine-disrupting chemical: growing interest in possible health threat

Question 33

EDCs

Answer 33

Industrial solvents, plastics, pesticides, pharmaceutical agents, plasticizers, preservative (PPPPI)

Question 34

Banned in 1972, worldwide in 2004

Answer 34

DDT (pesticide)

Question 35

Can take more than 15 years to break down

Answer 35

DDT

Question 36

New DDT contamination

Answer 36

Atmospheric deposition

Question 37

Can infants be exposed to DDT through breastmilk?

Answer 37

They sure can

Question 38

DDT t1/2 in humans

Answer 38

~8years (stored in fat tissue)

Question 39

2nd MC used pesticide in US

Answer 39

Atrazine - applied most heavily in midwest

Question 40

Atrazine human exposure

Answer 40

Contaminated streams and groundwater

Question 41

Synthetic form of hormone estrogen***

Answer 41

DES - prescribed heavily between 1940-1971

Question 42

What year did the FDA suggest cessation of DES prescription

Answer 42

1971

Question 43

Women who took DES during pregnancy have an increased risk of which type of cancer

Answer 43

Breast Cancer

Question 44

DES daughters have a 40x increased risk of what?

Answer 44

Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma

Question 45

DES daughters have how much of an increased risk of Breast Cancer

Answer 45

2x

Question 46

DES sons have an increased risk of what?

Answer 46

Testicular abnormalities

Question 47

In 2008, congress banned which substance from children's toys

Answer 47

Phthalates

Question 48

If a label mentions "fragrance", it most likely contains what

Answer 48

Phthalates

Question 49

Phthalate containing plastics have which recycling code

Answer 49

#3

Question 50

Parabens are primarily used as what?

Answer 50

Preservatives

Question 51

Parabens are primarily absorbed through which organ?

Answer 51

Skin