Health and Enviroment

Lipophilic chemicals are

Fat-loving chemicals that dissolve easily in lipids, oils, and non-polar solvents

General concern of environmental health field

Identifying and managing environmental exposures that influence disease and well-being

Hazard identification

First step in risk assessment, determines whether a substance can cause harm

A hazard quotient greater than 1 indicates: while a hazard quotient less than 1 indicates:

More than 1 means exposure exceeds the reference dose. Less than 1 indicates negligible health impacts exist, and adverse effects are unlikley

Antagonism between two contaminants refers to while synergism between two contaminants refers to

Antagonism: One chemical reducing the effect of another. Synergism: combined chemicals increase toxicity of others

Radon is a natural source of ionizing radiation true or false?

True

Biomarkers of exposure

Measuring the actual chemical, its metabolite, or a reaction product inside a biological body fluid or tissue (such as blood, urine, or hair) to confirm that the substance has entered the body

Environmental monitoring

Measures contaminant levels in the surrounding environment (like lead in soil or water), not inside a person.

Personal air sampling

Uses a wearable device to measure the concentration of a contaminant in the specific air a person breathes.

Fate and transport modeling

Uses mathematical equations to predict how a chemical moves and changes through the environment (air, water, soil) over time.

A radiation dose expressed in grays is converted to sieverts to:

Converted to reflect biological damage potential

Gray (Gy)

Measures the physical absorbed dose (the actual amount of radiation energy deposited in a material or tissue)

Sievert (Sv)

Measures the equivalent or effective dose (the actual biological impact on the human body).

fecal-oral transmission

happens when microscopic germs from the stool of an infected person or animal enter another person's mouth ex: dirty hands then hand-to-mouth, contaminated water, bad food prep.

zoonotic transmission

the process by which an infectious disease spreads from animals to humans direct and indirect contact

Gamma rays are located on the electromagnetic spectrum at:

The short-wavelength, high-energy end

An externality

Occurs when the health costs of an activity are experienced by people other than those responsible for the activity - negative externality means health costs fall on uninvolved bystanders

Biomagnification

Increasing concentrations of a chemical at higher trophic levels

Exposure assessment focuses on: 

How, how often, and how much people are exposed

Externality definition

the cost that is associated with the use of a resource that is not captured in the price a user pays - basically, a user receives a benefit/utility (benefit from use of a resource) without paying the full cost

Descriptive Epidemiology

Epidemiology that characterizes description of disease occurrence in a population, looks at disease frequency in a population

Prevalance

Number of existing cases/number in a studied population – measure of frequency (the proportion of the population with existing disease at a given time)

Incidence

Number of new cases/number or people at risk – measure of frequency (new cases of disease in a given time period)

Epidemiology

The scientific study of the distribution and determinants of disease and the application of this study to protect public health – in environmental health epi provides information about whether environmental hazards impact human life/health

Relative biological effectiveness describes _______________ per unit of radiation energy absorbed by the body

the relative damage caused by different types of ionizing radiation

The half-life of a radioactive element is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to: 

Undergo radioactive decay; It is the predictable amount of time required for 50% of the unstable parent isotope in a sample to decay into a stable daughter product.

Short wavelegnth of electromagnetic radiation meaning

Energy and wavelength are inversely related; higher energy means a shorter wavelength.

Ionizing Radiation

high-energy form of energy carried by free particles or electromagnetic waves that can knock electrons out of atoms and molecules

Which of the following types of radiation are considered ionizing? (Select all that apply)

		beta particles
		cosmic radiation
		infrared radiation
		radiation from X-rays

radiation from X-rays, cosmic radiation, and beta particles; a high-energy form of energy that removes electrons from atoms and molecules as it passes through matter

Aflatoxins

They are produced by Aspergillus species (such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus). commonly contaminate crops like grains and nuts during improper storage in warm, humid conditions

Geophysical disasters definition

a sudden, high-impact natural event that originates from solid earth processes and internal geological forces

hygiene hypothesis definition

inverse relationship between environmental endotoxin exposure and the prevalence of hay fever, atopic asthma, and allergic sensitization; exposure to environmental microbes and microbial products during childhood plays an essential role in training the immune system and preventing allergic diseases