ETOX - Environmental Fate, Persistence, Biodegradation Part 2

This lecture, LSN 12, focuses on the environmental fate, persistence, and biodegradation of chemical substances, specifically Part 2 of this topic.

The dose makes the poison: The amount of a substance determines its toxicity.
Differential response to dose: Individuals or species can react differently to the same dose.
Chemicals cause specific effects: Each chemical elicits particular biological responses.
Humans are not animals: While animal models are used, human responses can differ.
Extrapolate from animal data: Toxicological findings from animals are used to predict human effects, with cautionary considerations.

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

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

The relationship between a chemical's molecular structure and its biodegradability is sufficiently understood to be leveraged in molecular design processes.
Biodegradability is directly associated with specific structural features, including functional groups, molecular size, and water solubility.
While not infallible, useful