Environmental Fate, Persistence, and Biodegradation

ETOX - LSN 11: Environmental Fate, Persistence, and Biodegradation, Part 1

The dose makes the poison: The quantity of a substance determines its toxicity.
Differential response to dose: Individuals or organisms may respond differently to the same dose of a toxicant.
Chemicals cause specific effects: Toxicants induce predictable and observable effects.
Humans are not animals: While animal models are used, human biological responses can differ.
Extrapolate from animal data: Information from animal studies is used to infer potential human health impacts.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Describe dose-response relationships.
Describe the processes of absorption, distribution, storage, biotransformation, and elimination of toxicants.
Describe the chemodyanamics of contaminants in the environment, including their fate and transport.
Perform risk assessments related to hazardous substances.
Describe methods used to test and regulate hazardous substances.

Central Question: What happens to chemicals and synthetic products once they enter the environment?
Dilemma: Do they disappear/degrade, or do they persist for very long durations, potentially