Ch. 10 Reading Guide
*1: What are some of the chronic health effects of exposure to Benzene?
*Some of the chronic health defects of exposure to Benzene, is drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches.
2: What are some of the potential sources of Benzene in the environment?
*Some potential sources of Benzene, are the chemicals released when gasoline is
refined from oil.
3: Why is it so hard to link health problems to toxic air pollution?
*It's hard because they're almost the same thing. The toxins are the cause of health
problems.
4: Why it is said that between a state of health and a state of disease is a gray zone of suboptimal health, a state of imbalance?
*It is said that because you don't know about it. You may not be diagnosed with it, however you have that
sickness.
5: Explain what happened at Lake Nyos, Cameroon.
*What happened at Lake Nyos, Cameroon, was that a massive amount of natural carbon was
released.
6: What is the difference between a pollutant and a contaminant?
*The difference, is that a pollutant is an unwanted change in the environment and chemical. A contaminant
is the introduction of undesired materials.
7: Define the following:
• Toxin:
Substances that harm living things.
• Toxicology: The science that studies toxins in our
society.
• Carcinogen: A toxin that that increases the risk of
cancer.
• Synergism:
The interaction between differences
substances.
• Point sources: Give example: Commonly introduced pollutants
to the environment.
-Example: Smokestacks.
• Area sources (non-point):
Give example: Land diffusion
-Example: Beach
• Mobile sources: Give example: Urban Run off.
-Example: Automobile exhaust
8: Define the following: (Identify when they are used)
• ppm: Parts per million -Volume, Mass, & Weight.
• ppb: Parts
per billion -Volume, Mass, &
Weight.
• mg/L:
Micrograms per liter -Water pollutants
• μg/m3: Pollutant per cubic meter of air -Air
pollutants
9: What is an Infectious Agent?
*An Infectious Agents are diseases transmitted by contact.
A Closer Look 10.1 Sudbury Smelters: A Point Source
10: Explain what happened to the area surrounding the Sudbury Smelter as a result of the
release of heavy metal pollution into the air
*What happened, was that arsenic, chromium, nickel, and lead were released to the atmosphere.
11: What are some common heavy metals found in the environment?
*Some common heavy metals found in the environment, are arsenic, chromium, nickel, gold, silver, Mercury, and lead.
12: What is the concept of Body Burden?
*The concept of Body Burden, is that it's toxic heavy elements.
What are the body burdens for the following?
• Antimony:
8mg
• Mercury:
13mg
• Arsenic:
18mg
• Cadmium:
30mg
• Lead: 150mg
13: Define biomagnification/bioaccumulation:
*The accumulation or increasing concentration of a substance in living tissues it
moves through the food web.
14: Describe how Cadmium is a good example of biomagnification.
*It's a good example because it increases the chances of getting cancer.
15: How does Mercury enter the environment?
*It enters by volcanic eruptions.
16: Define Methylation: The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane.
17: Define Volatilization: To make volatile, cause to pass
off in a vapor.
Read: A Closer Look 10.2- Mercury and Minamata, Japan
18: Define:
Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) and
describe the properties that define them.
*A hazardous organic chemical compound that is resistant to biodegradation
and thus remains in the environment for a long time. The properties that define
them, are Carbon-based.
Read: A Closer Look
10.3- Dioxin: How Dangerous is it? How is Dioxin produced?
19: Give some examples of
HAA’s:
*Some examples of HAA's, are pesticides, herbicides, & phthalates.
20: Explain how PCB’s are harmful (found in plastics):
*They're harmful because they're a toxin.
Read: A Closer
Look 10.4- Demasculinization and Feminization of Frogs
21: How can Thermal Pollution affect a body of water and it’s biodiversity?
*How it can affect a body, is by changing a river's species composition.
22: What are examples of particulates?
*Examples of particulates, are dust storms, and volcanic eruptions.
23: Why is asbestos harmful to humans?
*It's harmful to humans because it causes asbestosis, & cancer.
24: How can EMF (Electromagnetic Fields)
be harmful to humans?
*They're harmful because they produce magnetic fields.
25: How is noise pollution measured?
*Noise pollution is measured in decibels (dB).
26: What are some voluntary exposures to pollutants?
*Some voluntary exposures to pollutants, are tobacco, alcohol, & other drugs.
27: What is meant by the quote, "everything is poisonous, yet nothing is poisonous”?
*He means that to much of any substance can be dangerous, yet in an extremely small amount can be harmless.
28: Describe the “dose-response”. Draw and label the generalized dose-response curve.
*Dose-response describes the change in effect on an organism
caused by differing levels of exposure to a stressor after a certain exposure
time.
29: Define the following:
• LD-50: A crude approximation of a chemical's
toxicity.
• ED-50: The dose that causes an effect in 50% of the
observed objects.
• TD-50: The dose that is toxic to 50% of the observed
subjects.
• LD-0: The maximum that does not cause any
deaths.
30: Explain the concept of a threshold dose:
*A level in which no effects occur.
31: define:
• Behavioral tolerance: Results from changes in behavior.
• Physiological tolerance: A body adjusts to tolerate a higher level of pollution.
• Genetic tolerance: Individuals in a population that are naturally more resistant to toxins than others.
32: Explain the difference between an acute and chronic effect.
*The difference is that Acute occurs soon after exposure, while chronic effect occurs over a long period of
time.
33: Explain the steps of risk assessment:
*The steps are identification of the hazard, Dose-response, Exposure assessment, and Risk
characterization.
34: What is the precautionary principle?
*The precautionary principle is the warning ahead of time.
“Is Lead in the Urban Environment Contributing to Antisocial Behavior”
35: What is the main point of the discussion about lead in the bones of children and behavior?
*The main point of this is that it's bad for the health of the child.
36: Why is it difficult to establish standards for acceptable levels of pollution? In giving your answer,
consider physical, climatological, biological, social, and ethical reasons.
*Is it difficult to establish standards for acceptable levels of pollution because climate can cause most of them, and we cannot control the climate, or natural disasters. Plus, it could destroy the economy, and many people won't afford it. Also, it depends on the social and ethical classes of the people.
*Some of the chronic health defects of exposure to Benzene, is drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches.
2: What are some of the potential sources of Benzene in the environment?
*Some potential sources of Benzene, are the chemicals released when gasoline is
refined from oil.
3: Why is it so hard to link health problems to toxic air pollution?
*It's hard because they're almost the same thing. The toxins are the cause of health
problems.
4: Why it is said that between a state of health and a state of disease is a gray zone of suboptimal health, a state of imbalance?
*It is said that because you don't know about it. You may not be diagnosed with it, however you have that
sickness.
5: Explain what happened at Lake Nyos, Cameroon.
*What happened at Lake Nyos, Cameroon, was that a massive amount of natural carbon was
released.
6: What is the difference between a pollutant and a contaminant?
*The difference, is that a pollutant is an unwanted change in the environment and chemical. A contaminant
is the introduction of undesired materials.
7: Define the following:
• Toxin:
Substances that harm living things.
• Toxicology: The science that studies toxins in our
society.
• Carcinogen: A toxin that that increases the risk of
cancer.
• Synergism:
The interaction between differences
substances.
• Point sources: Give example: Commonly introduced pollutants
to the environment.
-Example: Smokestacks.
• Area sources (non-point):
Give example: Land diffusion
-Example: Beach
• Mobile sources: Give example: Urban Run off.
-Example: Automobile exhaust
8: Define the following: (Identify when they are used)
• ppm: Parts per million -Volume, Mass, & Weight.
• ppb: Parts
per billion -Volume, Mass, &
Weight.
• mg/L:
Micrograms per liter -Water pollutants
• μg/m3: Pollutant per cubic meter of air -Air
pollutants
9: What is an Infectious Agent?
*An Infectious Agents are diseases transmitted by contact.
A Closer Look 10.1 Sudbury Smelters: A Point Source
10: Explain what happened to the area surrounding the Sudbury Smelter as a result of the
release of heavy metal pollution into the air
*What happened, was that arsenic, chromium, nickel, and lead were released to the atmosphere.
11: What are some common heavy metals found in the environment?
*Some common heavy metals found in the environment, are arsenic, chromium, nickel, gold, silver, Mercury, and lead.
12: What is the concept of Body Burden?
*The concept of Body Burden, is that it's toxic heavy elements.
What are the body burdens for the following?
• Antimony:
8mg
• Mercury:
13mg
• Arsenic:
18mg
• Cadmium:
30mg
• Lead: 150mg
13: Define biomagnification/bioaccumulation:
*The accumulation or increasing concentration of a substance in living tissues it
moves through the food web.
14: Describe how Cadmium is a good example of biomagnification.
*It's a good example because it increases the chances of getting cancer.
15: How does Mercury enter the environment?
*It enters by volcanic eruptions.
16: Define Methylation: The univalent radical CH3- derived from methane.
17: Define Volatilization: To make volatile, cause to pass
off in a vapor.
Read: A Closer Look 10.2- Mercury and Minamata, Japan
18: Define:
Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) and
describe the properties that define them.
*A hazardous organic chemical compound that is resistant to biodegradation
and thus remains in the environment for a long time. The properties that define
them, are Carbon-based.
Read: A Closer Look
10.3- Dioxin: How Dangerous is it? How is Dioxin produced?
19: Give some examples of
HAA’s:
*Some examples of HAA's, are pesticides, herbicides, & phthalates.
20: Explain how PCB’s are harmful (found in plastics):
*They're harmful because they're a toxin.
Read: A Closer
Look 10.4- Demasculinization and Feminization of Frogs
21: How can Thermal Pollution affect a body of water and it’s biodiversity?
*How it can affect a body, is by changing a river's species composition.
22: What are examples of particulates?
*Examples of particulates, are dust storms, and volcanic eruptions.
23: Why is asbestos harmful to humans?
*It's harmful to humans because it causes asbestosis, & cancer.
24: How can EMF (Electromagnetic Fields)
be harmful to humans?
*They're harmful because they produce magnetic fields.
25: How is noise pollution measured?
*Noise pollution is measured in decibels (dB).
26: What are some voluntary exposures to pollutants?
*Some voluntary exposures to pollutants, are tobacco, alcohol, & other drugs.
27: What is meant by the quote, "everything is poisonous, yet nothing is poisonous”?
*He means that to much of any substance can be dangerous, yet in an extremely small amount can be harmless.
28: Describe the “dose-response”. Draw and label the generalized dose-response curve.
*Dose-response describes the change in effect on an organism
caused by differing levels of exposure to a stressor after a certain exposure
time.
29: Define the following:
• LD-50: A crude approximation of a chemical's
toxicity.
• ED-50: The dose that causes an effect in 50% of the
observed objects.
• TD-50: The dose that is toxic to 50% of the observed
subjects.
• LD-0: The maximum that does not cause any
deaths.
30: Explain the concept of a threshold dose:
*A level in which no effects occur.
31: define:
• Behavioral tolerance: Results from changes in behavior.
• Physiological tolerance: A body adjusts to tolerate a higher level of pollution.
• Genetic tolerance: Individuals in a population that are naturally more resistant to toxins than others.
32: Explain the difference between an acute and chronic effect.
*The difference is that Acute occurs soon after exposure, while chronic effect occurs over a long period of
time.
33: Explain the steps of risk assessment:
*The steps are identification of the hazard, Dose-response, Exposure assessment, and Risk
characterization.
34: What is the precautionary principle?
*The precautionary principle is the warning ahead of time.
“Is Lead in the Urban Environment Contributing to Antisocial Behavior”
35: What is the main point of the discussion about lead in the bones of children and behavior?
*The main point of this is that it's bad for the health of the child.
36: Why is it difficult to establish standards for acceptable levels of pollution? In giving your answer,
consider physical, climatological, biological, social, and ethical reasons.
*Is it difficult to establish standards for acceptable levels of pollution because climate can cause most of them, and we cannot control the climate, or natural disasters. Plus, it could destroy the economy, and many people won't afford it. Also, it depends on the social and ethical classes of the people.