Environmental health final

Describe two occupational exposures associated with reproductive hazards and teratogenic effects.

"Shift-work has been identified as a reproductive hazard associated with the work-place, as circadian dysregulation is linked to irregular menstrual cycles, endometriosis, infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight or preterm delivery, (Falta, 165). "X-ray technicians, dental hygienists, and imaging laboratory workers," are at risk since "radiation exposure is another physical hazard known to cause miscarriage or act as a teratogenic agent," (Falta, 165-166).

For each major source of energy, consider the environmental and human health hazards associated with each step of energy production.

"Wind power captures energy of moving air," "but they do make noise," (Falta, 224-225). "The sun's energy can be harnessed directly," but capturing has "environment costs," (Falta,226-227). "Hydropower can generate electricity using dams" but can cause flooding to nearby towns. (Falta, 235-226). Geothermal is the last one but "can be used only where local geology makes it possible," (Falta, 227).

Currently, ___ % of all medical wastes are incinerated.

10

Describe how sewage and storm runoff are handled in a combined sewer system, and identify two limitations or disadvantages of such a system.

A combined sewer system works by utilizing "overflow valves," by "when the combined flow of municipal wastewater and storm runoff exceeds the treatment plant's capacity, these overflow valves open,(Falta, 238). Two limitations of this system are never knowing when storms causes it to overflow or some water never getting treated because there is too much to be treated. (Falta, 238-239).

Which of the following is the major direct human health risk of genetically modified foods?

Allergic reactions

Describe the issues associated with reliance on bottled drinking water in terms of health and environmental impacts.

Because "60% of bottled water actually comes from Muncioal drinking water supplies", "it does not meet drinking water standards—- and is much more expensive to make," (Falta, 251). It also has "concerns with Bisphenyl A exposure and also awareness grows about the planetary impact of plastic pollution," (Falta, 251).

Name three occupational health hazards to oilfield workers.

Because "taking oil and natural gas from the earth requires powerful drilling equipment and releases high-pressure streams of oil and gas, it can lead to health hazards, (Falta, 186). Some are "risk of accidental energy, overexposure to noise and vibration, and extremes of cold and heat" (Falta, 186). Regularly expose to chemical and "solvents to clean drilling gear" are also a hazard to oilfield workers, (Falta, 186).

Outline the major environmental health hazards of megacities in lower-income countries.

Because of mega cities, lower income countries "are cut off from opportunities for employment, health services, or education," (Falta, 261). The book explains about Jakarta, "less than 60% of the population has access to piped water at communal taps, and water from this source must be boiled before it can be drunk safely," (Falta, 261). And many people live next to waste in lower income mega cities because "sewage and trash are largely uncontrolled," (Falta, 261).

__________ is a light metal that is used in the aerospace industries and causes debilitating lung disease.

Beryllium

Which body system do both organochlorine and organophosphate insecticides target?

Central nervous system

Which of the following mods of action is the basis for how organophosphate pesticides work?

Central nervous system disruption

Explain briefly how the release of chlorofluorocarbons into the environment resulted in increased risk of caner in the general population. Be sure to identify the specific type of cancer

Chlorofluorocarbons released into the environment are "the predominant cause stratospheric depletion" (Falta, 150). Because "chlorine-containing gases are released into the air, they accumulate in troposphere and over time are transported by air movements to the stratosphere," the chemicals "affect human health indirectly by depleting the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer," (Falta, 150). This process "results in an increased risk of skin cancer," (Falta, 150).

Compare and contrast features of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to features of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as these laws pertain to hazardous wastes.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) "created procedures to assess and remediate the pollution at sites, set criteria for identifying parties to be held financially responsible for site cleanup," (Falta, 170). Where "hazardous wasters from industry are regulates," by Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) using "one or two criteria,": "it may be a type of waste listed by the EPA," OR "it may meet the definition of a hazardous waste under RCRA," (Falta, 170-171). In conclusion, CERCLA deals with who is responsible for chemical cleanup, while RCRA deals with the regulation of treatment and disposal.

Which of the following is a byproduct of the enrichment step in the nuclear fuel cycle?

Depleted uranium

Which of the following chemicals were not intentionally manufactured, but rather occur as a byproduct?

Dioxins and furans

Define the term ecological footprint, and then name and define two of the major component footprints of the overall ecological footprint. What are two important impacts that the ecological footprint does not take account of?

Ecological footprint as described in the book is "the area on the Earth's surface that is required to provide resources for, and absorb the wastes of, an individual or a population with a given standard of living," (Falta, 271). The two major components of ecological footprint are population and consumption per the population. Two "gifts of nature" not accounted for by ecological footprints are "fossil fuel resources" and "potable water," as described in the book, (Falta, 272).

___________ is a general term for lung diseases in which a physical irritant causes the formation of scar tissue; __________ is one such disease caused by particulate matter.

Fibrosis; pneumoconiosis

Which of the following is the most common medium for people's exposures to solvents?

Groundwater

Which class of pesticides is used in the largest quantities in the United States?

Herbicides

Describe two important challenges in accurately assessing farmers' or farmworkers' exposures to a specific pesticide of interest.

In the book it states, "In the 1970's the now-banned pesticide dibrochloropropane (DBCP), used to kill worms, was found to affect the fertility of male workers in a production plant, (Falta 103-104). It explains in further detail, "A literature review reported evidence suggestive of effects of pesticide exposure on semen quality, as well as DNA or chromosomal damage in sperm, (Falta, 104). Two challenges would be how does one link sperm damage to the pesticide and how could you test the theory of the before and after of semen quality

Modern crop production is dependent on fossil fuels in two major ways. What are they?

In the book, it explains modern crop production is dependent on "chemical inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers, mostly derived from petroleum." (105). Production uses these methods to help "power heavy machinery involved with rolling, planting, weed control, and harvesting. (Falta 105). Pesticides and fertilizers are both essential when it comes to modern crop production.

Which of the following programs for controlling insect pests in a building best reflects the principles of integrated pest management?

Insecticidal baits are set out in high-pest locations when pests become a problem.

The key international agreement on global climate change is the _____________ Protocol.

Kyoto

The tragedy in Bhopal, India, was caused by the acuteexposure of the community to which of the following?

MIC

Which of the following is not one of the six criteria air pollutants?

Mercury

What challenges would you expect in recalling hamburger patties made of meat that had been contaminated by E. coli O157:H7 at slaughter? What challenges would you expect in recalling a specific type of genetically modified corn found to pose a risk of allergic reactions?

One challenge you would expect in recalling hamburgers patties is you would be unsure where the contamination began. In the book it states, "many cows contribute to a single well-mixed batch of ground beef, increasing the chance of contamination," (Falta, 117). Because there are too many cows in the making of one batch of meat, it would be simply hard to determine the origin of the contamination. Similar to the hamburger meat because the "corn for human consumption was not necessarily segregated from corn bound for animal consumption" then "mixing is likely to occur in grain elevators or elsewhere," making it highly untraceable to understand where the contamination began. (Falta, 127).

Name three classes of synthetic organic chemicals to which people arelikely to be exposed in ordinary consumer products. Explain why or how the chemicals came to be in the types of products they are in.

Organic solvents, chemicals used in the production of plastics, persistent toxic chemicals, and chemicals that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer are all groups of synthetic organic chemicals (Falta, 141). They consist of "hydrocarbons" and "are often derived from petroleum at the refinery and are used as feedstocks in the production of other chemicals," (Falta, 141). "Dyeing, and their use in dry cleaning resulted in occupational exposures at large number of small businesses," is one example, (Falta, 141).

Which persistent toxic substance is thought to be perhaps the most persistent of all?

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)

After considering the following table, select the response that correctly identifies pollutants #1, #2, and #3. Does this gas play a key role in ... Pollutant global warming? ozone depletion? acid deposition? Pollutant #1 yes no no Pollutant #2 yes yes no Pollutant #3 no no yes Note: CFCs = chlorofluorocarbons, CO2 = carbon dioxide, SO2 = sulfur dioxide

Pollutant #1 is CO2; Pollutant #2 is CFCs; Pollutant #3 is SO2

The major law governing the handling of municipal solid waste is the:

RCRA

Which of the following gases is NOT a greenhouse gas?

Radon

Why does the regulation of particulates in ambient air focus on particulates 10 microns or less in diameter?

Since the "EPA sets maximum allowable concentrations" they "set at levels intended to protect human health, (Falta, 205). Therefore "it is only possible to set a maximum allowed concentration in ambient air and then assess compliance with this standard," (Falta, 205).

__________ are widely used to degrease metals - for example, in the manufacture of electronic compounds.

Solvents

Antibiotics are administered to livestock on a routine basis so that the animals will reach market weight more quickly. Explain the public health concern that stems from this practice.

The book states, "The routine use of an antibiotic shaped populations of bacteria, over time increasing the share of the population that is resistant to the drug, (Falta, 115). Using antibiotics to make animals reach market weight is a health concern because "the use of manure to fertilize fields has resulted in demonstrated soil contamination with antibiotic resistant germs, (Falta, 115). And if the germs are resistant to bacteria, "then the antibiotics are ineffective in treating human illnesses," (Falta, 115).

Describe the steps involved with energy production from acquisition to disposal of any associated wastes for each major source of energy.

There are three stages in the nuclear fuel cycle for energy. The first stage includes, "uranium is mined and ultimately fabricated into a form that can be used as fuel in a power plant," (Falta, 209). "The middle stage is the generation of electricity at nuclear power plants," is the second stage (Falta, 209). "The last stage, often referred to as the back end, is the disposal of the radioactive wastes produced by power plant," explains the third and final stage (Falta, 209). For each major source of energy, consider the environmental and human health hazards

Which of the following items is not classified as a household hazardous waste?

Used disposable diapers

The majority of U.S. uranium mines and tailings piles are located in the _______________ states; most nuclear power plants are in the _______________ states.

Western; Eastern and Central

In the United States, research has documented socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in residential exposures to:

air pollution. , Not Selected hazardous waste sites. , Not Selected industrial facilities. , Not Selected All of these is correct.

Both __________ have been used in leather tanning and are Groupu 1 carcinogens?

arsenic and chromium-VI

Chlorination of drinking water is highly effective at killing:

bacteria.

Since the early days of the Industrial Revolution, eonomic growth and rising standards of living have been driven by:

carbon-based fuels.

Industrial wastes, if not pretreated before entering a municipal waste treatment system may:

cause damage to municipal works. , Not Selected kill bacteria used in waste water treatment. , Not Selected Correct answer: Both of these is correct.

Most solvents affect the:

central nervous system.

Concentrations of __________ have been documented at higher concentrationsin farmed salmon than in wild-caught salmon.

chlorinated organic compounds

Potable water is water that is:

considered suitable for use as drinking water.

Choracne is a result of acute exposure to:

dioxin.

The largest share of municipal solid waste in the US today is:

discarged products.

Phthalates are used to give plastics:

flexibility

At present, the global average per capita ecological footprint is ___________ the global per capita carrying capacity.

greater than

A chemical pesticide designed to kill plants, weeds or grasses is known as a(n):

herbicide.

The main rationale for the development of genetically modified foods is to _________ of the world's food supply.

increase the quantity

A septic system consists of a septic tank and a:

leach field.

Primary sewage treatment is fundamentally a _______ process.

mechanical

A compact fluorescent light bulb contains a small quantity of _______________, which is released if a bulb is broken.

mercury

The practice of giving pigs low doses of antibiotics throughout their lives causes __________ to become more resistant to antibiotics.

microbes

In the body, Iodine-131 is taken up by the:

thyroid gland.