Chapter 15: Environmental Health, Polution, and Toxicology
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30 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 area sources | sometimes also called nonpoint sources; these are diffuse sources of polution such as urban runoff or automobile exhaust; these sources include emissions that may be over a broad area or even an entire region; they are often difficult to isolate and correct because of the widely dispersed nature of the emissions |
| asbestos | several minerals that form in long, thin fibers and that are valued for their strength and resistance to heat; some types of particles are believed to be carcinogenic or to carry with them carcinogenic materials |
| biomagnification | the process by which toxic concentrations and harmful chemicals build up in the tissues of animals (usually higher up on the food chain) resulting in harm to the animals towards the top of the food chain which effects the entire food chain |
| body burden | The content of heavy metals in animal bodies |
| contamination | the presence of undesirable material that makes something unfit for a particular use |
| dioxin | an organic compound composed of oxygen, hydrogen,carbon, and chlorine; it is a by-product from materials such as herbicides; it is extremely toxic to mammals |
| dose dependency | dependency on the dose or concentration of a substance for its effect on a particular organism |
| dose response | principle that the effect of a certain chemical on an individual depends on the doses or concentration of that chemical |
| ecological gradient | a change in the relative abundance of a species or group of species along a line or over an area |
| ED-50 | the effective dose or dose that causes effect in 50% of the population on exposure to a particular toxicant; it is related to the onset of specific symptoms, such as loss of hearing, nausea, or slurred speech |
| electromagnetic field (EMF) | magnetic and electrical fields produced naturally by our planet and also by appliances such as toasters, electric blankets, cell phones, and computers; there currently is controversy concerning potential adverse health effects related to exposure to EMF in the workplace and home from such article sources as power line and appliances |
| heavy metal | metallic elements with high atomic weights (examples include: mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and lead); can damage living things at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain |
| hormonally active agent (HAA) | a chemical in the environment known as having the potential to cause developmental and reproductive abnormalities in animals, including humans |
| LD-50 | a crude approximation of a chemical toxicity defined as the does at which 50% of the population dies on exposure |
| mobile resources | sources of air pollutants that move from place to place; for example, automobiles, trucks, buses, airplanes, and trains |
| noise pollution | a type of pollution characterized by unwanted or potentially damaging sound |
| particulate matter (particulates) | small particles of solid or liquid substances that are released into the atmosphere by many activities, including farming, volcanic eruption, and burning fossil fuels; particulates affect human health, ecosystems, and the biosphere |
| persistent organic pollutants (POPs) | synthetic carbon-based compounds, often containing chlorine, that do not easily break down in the environment, which can bioaccumulate in organisms and have harmful effects |
| point sources | sources of pollution such as smokestacks, pipes, or accidental spills that are readily identified and stationary |
| pollutant | any factor that has a harmful effect on living things or their environment |
| pollution | the process by which something becomes impure, defiled, dirty, or otherwise unclean; the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment |
| risk assessment | the process of determining potential adverse environmental health effects to people exposed to pollutants and potentially toxic materials; generally includes the four steps of identification of the hazard - dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization |
| synergism | cooperative action of the different substances such that the combined is greater than the sum of effects taken separately |
| synthetic organic compounds | compounds of carbon produced synthetically by human industrial processes like pesticides and herbicides |
| TD-50 | the toxic dose defined as the dose that is toxic to 50% of the population exposed to the toxin |
| thermal pollution | a type of pollution that occurs when heat is released into water or air and produces undesirable effects on the environment |
| threshold | a point in the operation of a system at which a change occurs; with respect to toxicology, it is a level below which efects are not observable and above which effects become apparent |
| tolerance | the ability to withstand stress resulting from exposure to a pollutant or harmful condition |
| toxic | harmful, deadly, or poisonous |
| toxicology | the scientific field that examines the effects of poisonous chemicals and other agents on human and other organisms; includes the clinical, economic, and legal problems associated with toxic materials |
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