GE15 EXAM 7

Environmental Health and Toxicology

health

a state ofcomplete physical,mental, and social well-being. A person can be ill to some extent

Disease

the impairment of an individual's well-being and capacity tofunction and is mostly attributed to inadequate behavioral and environmentalchange

Global Burden of Disease (GBD)

a comprehensive regional and global researchprogram of disease burden that assesses mortality and disability from major diseases,

chronic diseases

nowaccount for nearly 60% of the 56.5 million total deaths worldwide each year and abouthalf of the global disease burden

Emergent diseases

those not previously known or that have been absent forat least 20 years.

Ecological Epidemiology

It is the study of the ecology of infectious diseases.

Ecological Epidemiology

It includes population andcommunity level studies of the interactions between hosts and their pathogens andparasites and covers diseases of both humans and wildlife

Ecotoxicology

the study of toxins (poisons) and their effects, particularly on living systems because many substances are known to be poisonous to life (whetherplant, animal, or microbial)

Allergens

immune-activating agents

Antigens

any substance that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against it

Immune System Depressants

suppress the immune system

Endocrine disruptors

chemicals that disrupt the natural activity of hormones

Hormones

chemicals released by cells into the bloodstreams in one part of thebody toregulate the function and development of tissues and organs in the body.

Hormone mimics

have similar shapes to natural hormones and amply their effects

BPA (Bisphenol A)

known to be a hormone mimic used for plastic products rangingfrom water bottles to tooth- protecting sealants

Hormone blockers

prevent natural hormones from attaching to their target organ

Endocrine disruption

linked to increased risk of breast cancer, develop- mental andreproductive toxicity, allergies, and immuno-toxicity.

Neurotoxins

a particular class of metabolic poisons that individually attack nervecells (neurons)

Mutagens

agents that damage or modify the genetic material (D.N.A.) in cells,such as chemicals and radiatio

Teratogens

chemicals substance or other factors which cause differentabnormalitiesduring embryonic growth and development

fetal alcohol syndrome

a cluster of complications thatpersist throughout a child’s life,including craniofacial abnormalities, developmentaldisorder, behavioral problems, and mental defects

Carcinogens

substances that cause cancer, invasive, and out-of-control cellgrowthresulting in malignant tumors

bioaccumulation

The cell performs a selective absorption and storage of variation of molecules

biomagnification

when organisms ingest other organisms making toxinsaccumulated from the base and concentrated in the highest trophic level

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)

known as flameretardants usually used in textiles and plastics found in computers andappliances; these chemicals are now found in humans and other specieseverywhere globally

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA/ C8)

widely used as a nonstick, waterproof stain-resistant productsuch as Teflon, Gortex, Scotchguard, and Stainmaster.

Phthalates

These are present in products such as deodorants, plastics, and cosmetics. Also present in products used for children's toys, medical equipment, and packaging for food.

Perchlorate

a waterborne contaminant leftover of fuel utilized by rockets and from propellants. It includes the cause of pollution in our waters, especiallyin watersused for irrigation.

Bisphenol A (B.P.A.)

widely used in various products such as bottled water and tooth-protecting sealant. It is a vital component in the creation ofpolycarbonateplastics.

Atrazine

a substance applied to crops such as corn, cereal grains,sugarcanes,and Christmas trees as herbicide in the United States of America

Synergism

An interaction in which one substance intensifies the impact of another material

Solubility

one of the essential characteristics in determining how, where, and when a toxic material will move through the environment.

water-soluble compounds

move rapidly and widely in the environment

oil-or fat-soluble/organic molecules

generally need a carrier to movethrough the environment, into, and within, the body

LD50

to determine the dose to which fifty percent (50%) of the test population is sensitive

Acute effects

caused by a single exposure to the toxin and result in an immediate health crisis of some sort

Chronic effect

A constant effect can result from a single dose of a very toxic substance, resulting from a continuous or repeated sublethal exposure.

Risk

the possibility or results of suffering harm or loss by hazard and an indication of the severe damage

Risk assessment (R.A.)

the scientific process of estimating the threat that hazards pose to human health

Exposure assessment

the process of estimating, measuring, characterizing, and modeling magnitude, frequency, duration, and route of exposure to a possible toxin

Toxicity assessment

weighs all available evidence and estimates the potentialfor adverse health effects to occur

Risk assessment

the process of determining potential adverse health effects of exposure to pollutants and potentially toxic material

Identification of the hazard

using to evaluate if any situationmay have the potential to cause harm and consists of testingmaterials to determine whether exposure is likely to causehealth problems

Dose-response assessment

identifying relationships between the dose of a chemical (therapeutic drug, pollutant, or toxin) and the health effects on people.

Exposure appraisal

evaluates the duration, frequency, and intensity of human exposure to a particular chemical pollutant or toxin in the environment

Risk characterization

delineate health risk in terms of the magnitude of the health issues and concerns that might result from exposure to a particular pollutant or toxin

Tolerance

It is the ability to resist or withstand stress from exposure to a pollutant or harmful condition

Behavioral tolerance

results from changes in the behavior; for example, micelearnto avoid traps

Physiological tolerance

a result when the body of an individual adjusts to tolerate a higher level of pollutant

Agriculture

a science and art of growing plants and other crops, and theraising of animals for food, other human needs, or economic gain

Land Transformation

use of land to yield goods and services

Land Degradation

long-term decline in ecosystem function andproductivity such as soil erosion, soil exhaustion, soil salinization,overgrazing, frequent burning, and loss of soil biodiversity due to use ofagrochemicals like pesticides

Biocides

pest control compounds kill a wide range of living things

Organophosphates

among the most abundantly used synthetic pesticide

Glyphosate

the single most heavily used herbicide in the United States

Chlorinated hydrocarbons (organochlorines)

highly toxic and persistent to sensitive organisms

Fumigants

generally small molecular compounds, like ethylenedibromide, methylene bromide, and carbon tetrachloride. These compoundscan be deliveredin the form of gas for easy penetration into the soil and othermaterials

Inorganic pesticides

compounds made from toxic elements, like sulfur,copper,arsenic, and mercury. These elements are considered a broad-spectrum poison because they are highly poisonous and indestructible,which means they stay in theenvironment forever

Natural organic pesticides (botanicals)

extracts from plants. An example before was nicotine and nicotinoid alkaloids extracted from tobacco, and pyrethrum, extracted from Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium. These compounds also include turpentine, phenols, and other aromatic oils from conifers. These extracts are toxic to insects and may even prevent wood decay.

Microbial agents, biological controls

use living organisms or toxinsextracted from them that are used instead of pesticides

Bacillus thuringiensis

A natural soil bacterium, is one of the chief pest control agents allowed in organic farming. When eaten, this bacterium targets caterpillars and beetles and eliminates them by producing a toxin that destroys their digestive tract lining.

Sustainable agriculture

the practice of farming using principles of ecology to produce healthful food without compromising the future generation’s ability to do the same

food security

the ability to obtain sufficient food on a day-to-daybasis