Great Poisonings of the World - Lecture 1 Overview

Course Overview

  • Title: Great Poisonings of the World (VIBS 222) by Garhett Wyatt, PhD
  • Course Sign-Up: iClicker link provided.

Instructor Background

  • B.S. and Ph.D. in BIMS (2016, 2022)
  • Current Associate Research Scientist in Weston Porter’s Lab.

Course Structure

  • Group Project: Debates (2-3 members) on environmental topics.
  • Presentation Due: April 7 at 2:50 pm.
  • Topics include: Offshore drilling, Fracking, Electric Cars, Nuclear Energy, BPA/PFAS, Vaping, GMO, Wind/Solar Farms, Single Use Plastics.

Toxicology

  • Definition: Study of harmful effects of chemicals on health and the environment.
  • Basic Principle: "Everything is toxic; only the dose matters."
  • Risk Equation: Risk = Hazard x Exposure.

Historical Context

  • 1500 BC: Recognition of toxic plants (hemlock, aconite, etc.)
  • 400 BC: Hippocrates' work on clinical toxicology.
  • 100 BC: Mithridatism concept by Mithridates VI.
  • Renaissance: Paracelsus, who articulated the dose-response relationship.

Environmental Toxicology

  • Focus on the effects of toxic substances in the environment on humans and wildlife.

Perception vs. Reality in Toxicology

  • Common Perceptions:

    • Chemicals are mostly bad.
    • High-dose animal studies predict human risks.
    • Synthetic chemicals are more hazardous than natural ones.

  • Reality:

    • Life expectancy is increasing; cancer death rates are declining in some demographics.
    • Vast majority of consumed pesticides are natural, with significantly lower exposure to synthetic residues.
    • Both synthetic and natural toxins pose similar carcinogenic risks.

Issues Beyond Cancer

  • Topics include workplace exposure, endocrine disruption, and effects on sensitive populations.

Natural Carcinogens

  • Examples: Benzene, Ethanol, Formaldehyde.

IARC Classification

  • Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans.
  • Group 2A: Probably carcinogenic.
  • Group 2B: Possibly carcinogenic.
  • Group 3: Not classifiable as humans' carcinogenicity.

Conclusion

  • Emphasizes understanding both man-made and natural toxins while recognizing their relative risks.