station 7: pollution and human health

routes of exposure

ways that a pollutant enters the human body

• lead enters the body through water pipes and paint chips

synergism

the interaction of two or more substances to cause an effect greater than each of them individually

• asthma caused by PM from coal PPs and COVID-19 damaging lungs

tropospheric ozone

worsens respiratory conditions like asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, COPD

• limits overall lung function

• irritates muscles or resp. tract causing constriction of airways & shortness of breath

• irritates eyes

• sources: photochemical breakdown of NO2 (car exhaust, coal & NG combustion)

ONLY HARMFUL IN TROPOSPHERE (beneficial in stratosphere)

pathogen

a living organism (bacteria, fungus, protist, worm) or virus that causes an infectious disease (diseases capable of being spread or transmitted)

vectors

a living organism (rat, mosquito) that carry and transmit infectious pathogens to other organisms

dysentery

features: causes intestinal swelling, severe dehydration due to diarrhea; kills 1.1 million people annually, mostly in developing countries with poor sanitation and limited access to water filtration

causes: bacteria in food or water being contaminated with feces (often from sewage release into rivers then used as drinking water)

treatment: antibiotics

mesothelioma

features: a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, primarily affecting the lining respiratory tract, heart, or abdominal cavity

causes: asbestos is physically disturbed, and particles are released into the air & inhaled

treatment: removal of asbestos by professionals and using asbestos-free materials

tuberculosis (TB)

features: causes night sweats, fever, coughing blood; treatable in developed nations with access to powerful antibiotics

causes: breathing bacteria from body fluids (resp. droplets) of an infected person

treatment: antibiotics & therapy drugs

malaria

features: recurring flu-like symptoms; kills mostly children under 5; most common in sub-saharan africa (& other tropical regions of middle east, asia, south and central america)

causes: parasitic protist (pathogen) infection caused by bite from infected mosquitoes (vector)

treatment: insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes; (US eradicated in 1951)

west nile virus

features: causes brain inflammation, which can be fatal

causes: virus (pathogen) infection caused by bite from infected mosquitoes and birds (vector)

treatment: insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes

zika virus

features: causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and damaged brains; can be passed from mother to infant

causes: no known treatment; prevention is eliminating mosquito populations

SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome)

features: causes a form of pneumonia (fever, cough, chills, fatigue, shortness of breath, headache, and diarrhea)

causes: coronavirus (pathogen) infection caused by respiratory droplets from infected person

treatment: therapy drugs to address symptoms

MERS (middle east respiratory syndrome)

features: fever, cough, chills, fatigue, shortness of breath, headache, and diarrhea

causes: virus (pathogen) respiratory infection transmitted from animals to humans

treatment: therapy drugs to address symptoms

cholera

features: vomiting, muscle cramps and diarrhea; can cause sever dehydration

causes: bacterial (pathogen) infection caused by drinking infected water or eating contaminated food

treatment: antibiotics and rehydration

plague

features: aka “bubonic” or “black” plague; modern antibiotics are highly effective against it, but some isolated instances still occur

causes: bacterial (pathogen) infection transmitted by fleas (vector) on mice/rats

treatment: modern antibiotics