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Questions and Answers
What is the primary focus of environmental health?
What is the primary focus of environmental health?
Which of the following is a measure of disease burden?
Which of the following is a measure of disease burden?
Which group of harmful agents is associated with altering DNA?
Which group of harmful agents is associated with altering DNA?
What is a primary factor contributing to antibiotic resistance?
What is a primary factor contributing to antibiotic resistance?
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What is the process called when toxins build up in an organism's body over time?
What is the process called when toxins build up in an organism's body over time?
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What does bioaccumulation refer to in the context of toxins?
What does bioaccumulation refer to in the context of toxins?
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Which of the following factors affect the toxicity of a chemical?
Which of the following factors affect the toxicity of a chemical?
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Which of the following diseases is an example of a zoonotic disease linked to environmental disruption?
Which of the following diseases is an example of a zoonotic disease linked to environmental disruption?
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In the context of risk assessment, what does LD50 represent?
In the context of risk assessment, what does LD50 represent?
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Which term describes the phenomenon where the combined effect of two substances is greater than the sum of their individual effects?
Which term describes the phenomenon where the combined effect of two substances is greater than the sum of their individual effects?
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What is one of the main effects of endocrine disruptors?
What is one of the main effects of endocrine disruptors?
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How do water-soluble toxins differ from fat-soluble toxins?
How do water-soluble toxins differ from fat-soluble toxins?
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What best describes endocrine disruptors?
What best describes endocrine disruptors?
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What does the term DALY represent in public health?
What does the term DALY represent in public health?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)?
Which of the following is a characteristic of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)?
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What is the primary consequence of urbanization and reduced sanitation regarding health?
What is the primary consequence of urbanization and reduced sanitation regarding health?
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What is sick building syndrome primarily associated with?
What is sick building syndrome primarily associated with?
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Which type of toxin is specifically known to damage the nervous system?
Which type of toxin is specifically known to damage the nervous system?
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What describes the accumulation of toxins in an organism over time?
What describes the accumulation of toxins in an organism over time?
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Which of the following toxins is known to act as an endocrine disruptor?
Which of the following toxins is known to act as an endocrine disruptor?
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What is the relationship between biomagnification and aquatic ecosystems?
What is the relationship between biomagnification and aquatic ecosystems?
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How does chronic exposure to toxins primarily affect individuals?
How does chronic exposure to toxins primarily affect individuals?
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What is a significant factor contributing to antibiotic resistance?
What is a significant factor contributing to antibiotic resistance?
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What is a common result of sick building syndrome?
What is a common result of sick building syndrome?
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Study Notes
Environmental Science: Chapter 14 Summary
- Case Study: Toxic Flood: Hurricane Harvey highlighted how areas with hazardous substance facilities are vulnerable to environmental contamination when stormwater leaches pollutants, demonstrating the risks of residual pollutants.
Environmental Health (Section 14.1)
- Definition: Environmental health assesses the physical, social, cultural, and technological factors affecting health.
- Key Terms:
- Morbidity: Illness
- Mortality: Death
- Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs): Measures disease burden
- Shifting Global Disease Burden: Chronic diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease) are now prominent global concerns, alongside infectious diseases like malaria and diarrhea which remain significant in developing nations.
Environmental Health Perspective
- Transmission Pathways: Waterborne, airborne, foodborne, and vector-borne diseases.
- Risk Factors: Poor sanitation, climate change, pollution, urbanization.
- Prevention: Improved hygiene, clean water, vaccination, and vector control.
Toxicology (Section 14.2)
- Study of Toxins: Examining harmful effects of chemicals, radiation, and diet.
- Categories of Harmful Agents:
- Neurotoxins: Damage nerve cells.
- Mutagens: Alter DNA.
- Teratogens: Affect embryonic development.
- Carcinogens: Cause cancer.
- Endocrine Disruptors: Interfere with hormonal functions, affecting reproduction and development.
- Key Concepts:
- Bioaccumulation: Toxins build up in an organism.
- Biomagnification: Toxins concentrate through the food chain.
- Persistence: Some chemicals (e.g., heavy metals) remain in the environment for decades.
Movement and Fate of Toxins (Section 14.3)
- Solubility: Water-soluble toxins spread rapidly, fat-soluble toxins persist longer.
- Exposure Routes: Air, water, food, and skin contact.
- Factors Affecting Toxicity: Chemical stability, dose, exposure duration, and characteristics of the organism.
Risk Assessment and Perception (Section 14.4)
- Principle: "The dose makes the poison."
- Testing: Toxic effects often tested on lab animals.
- Key Metrics: LD50 (Lethal Dose 50): Dose lethal to 50% of a test population.
- Challenges: Public perceptions of risk can be irrational; policy decisions require balancing scientific data with socioeconomic factors.
Conclusion
- Progress in disease reduction has faced new challenges due to chronic conditions, emerging diseases, and industrial chemicals compounded by increasing globalization and environmental change.
True or False Concepts (Part 1)
- Environmental Health: Encompasses biological, chemical, and physical factors including climate change and pollution
- Diseases: Communicable diseases are caused by pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses)
- Antibiotic Resistance: Arises through natural selection.
- Zoonotic Diseases: Linked to deforestation and environmental disruption (eg Ebola)
- Toxins and Chemical Processes: Toxins accumulate (bioaccumulate) and reach higher concentrations in higher trophic levels (biomagnification).
Matching Key Terms (Part 2)
- Definitions of related environmental health terms provide concise explanations.
Multiple Choice Focus Areas (Part 3)
- Health problems associated with environmental factors (e.g., communicable diseases, urbanization, sanitation, and clean water).
Toxins and Ecosystem Effects (Page 5)
- Toxins: Includes persistence, fat-soluble toxins, examples like mercury, and carcinogen categories like tobacco smoke and endocrine disruptors that mimic hormones.
- Ecosystem Effects: Includes biomagnification and teratogen effects.
- Environmental Risks: Includes factors like sick building syndrome, antibiotic resistance, and synergistic interactions.
Key Takeaways (Page 6)
- Key Takeaways: Understanding disease-environment links, different harmful agents, toxin movement in ecosystems, and how risk perception informs health policies.
- Additional Concepts: Chronic Exposure, Synergism, and DALYs as disease burden metrics.
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Description
This quiz covers the essential points from Chapter 14 of Environmental Science, focusing on environmental health and the implications of toxic pollutants highlighted by Hurricane Harvey. It includes definitions, key terms, and the shifting global disease burden that affects public health.
