Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health

Precautionary principle

take action now to reduce suspected consequences, rather than wait for scientific results to show conclusive effects

Risk analysis

risk assessment, comparative risk analysis, and risk management

Risk Assessment

use of statistics to estimate harm from a hazard

Risk Management

decisions whether and how to reduce hazards – and at what cost

Infectious diseases

bacteria, viruses, and parasites that invade the body

Nontransmissible disease

the cause is not from the passage between living organisms

Epidemic

outbreak of infectious disease

Pandemic

global outbreak of infectious disease

HIV and hepatitis B virus

transmitted by unsafe sex; sharing needles

Avian flu

transmitted to humans from animals, especially from birds

Ecological medicine

studies the infectious disease connections between animals and humans

Carcinogens

certain viruses, some types of radiation, and chemicals that cause cancer

Mutagens

chemicals or forms of radiation that cause or increase genetic mutations

Teratogens

chemicals that harm or cause birth defects – genetic changes passed on to the next generation

Neurotoxins

substances that harm the nervous system

Endocrine system

hormones released through a complex network of glands

Receptors

hormones have a molecular shape and can attach to cell walls

Thyroid disrupters

cause growth, weight, brain, and behavioral disorders

Toxicity

a measure of the ability of a substance to cause injury, illness, or death

Solubility

water-soluble toxins get into water supplies, as well as the aqueous solutions that surround our body cells

Persistence

the chemical’s ability to resist being broken down into other substances

A dose-response curve

a plot that shows the lethal dose of the chemical

Epidemiological studies

Compares the health of people exposed to a particular chemical with a control group

Pollution prevention

do not use or release chemicals into the environment that we know or suspect can cause harm

Precautionary principle

take action now to reduce suspected consequences, rather than wait for scientific results to show conclusive effects