Health Effects of Environmental Agents

• ENVR430 (Formerly ENVR130)

• http://www.unc.edu/courses/2007fall/envr/430/001/

• Monday Wednesday Friday, 1 to 1:50 pm

• Hooker 0003

• Course director, L.M. Ball lmball@unc.edu, 6-7306

Toxicology

Microbiology

Review

Environmental Health

Environmental Health comprises those aspects of human health, including

quality of life, that are determined by interactions with physical, chemical, biological and social factors in the

environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting,

controlling and preventing those factors in the environment that may adversely affect the health of present and future

generations.Pew Environmental Health Commission

National Environmental Health Association NEHA

www.neha.org

National Center for Environmental Health NCEH

www.cdc.gov/nceh/default.htm

National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS

www.niehs.nih.gov

Environmental Scientists and Specialists

Conduct research or perform investigations for the purpose of

identifying, abating or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or the health of the population. Utilizing

knowledge of various scientific disciplines may collect, synthesize,

study, report, and take action based on data derived from measurements or

observations of air, food, soil, water and other sources U.S. Department

of Labor

Environmental Agents

• Microbial• Chemical• Physical

Physical Hazards

• Heat• Cold• Trauma

• Radiation– Ionizing radiation

(radioactivity)

– Non-ionizing radiation• X-rays

• UV

• Infrared

• Microwave

• Radio

• Electromagnetic

Chemical Hazards

• “Naturally-Occurring”• “Anthropogenic”

Naturally-Occurring Chemicals

• Microbial toxins– Bacterial toxins

• Botulinus toxin (Clostridium botulinum )

• Shigatoxin (Shigella dysenteriae )

– Fungal toxins (mycotoxins)

• Ergot alkaloids (Claviceps purpurea)

• Aflatoxins (Aspergillus spps)

Plant Constituents

• Alkaloids– Atropine– Solanine

• Pigments• Methane• Terpenes• Urushiol

Atropine

N

CH3

O C

O

H

HH

OH

Animal Constituents

• Alkaloids• Snake venom• Ciguatoxin

Combustion Products

• Gases• Hydrocarbons• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Phenanthrene

Benzanthracene

Benzo[a]pyrene

Minerals

• Soil dust (including e.g. Ca, Al, Si)• Leaching into groundwater

– Selenium– Arsenic

Anthropogenic Chemicals

• Inadvertent introduction• Deliberate use

Inadvertent introduction

• Industrial by-products

• Insulators• Effluents• Wastes • Spills• Improper disposal

Industrial solvents

• Aromatic hydrocarbons

• Chlorinated hydrocarbons

CH3

HC CH2

Benzene Toluene

Styrene

Cl

Cl

ClCl

Cl

Cl

C C

Cl

ClCl

Cl

C C

Cl

ClCl

H

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

TetrachloroethylenePCE, Perc

TrichloroethyleneTCE

Drinking water disinfection

by-products• Trihalomethanes

– Chloroform CHCl3– Bromodiloromethane CHBrCl2– Dibromochloromethane CHBr2Cl

– Bromoform CHBr3

• Haloacetic acids– Trichloroacetic acid CCl3-COOH

– Dichloroacetic acid CHCl2-COOH

– Dibromoacetic acid CHBr2-COOH

Combustion products

• Gases: CO, CO2, O3, peroxyacyl nitrates, nitrogen oxides (N2O, NO, NO2), sulfur oxides (SO2, SO3)

• Particulate matter• Hydrocarbons• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Deliberate use

• Pesticides• Fertilizers• Food additives• Plasticizers• Pharmaceuticals• Waste disposal

Insecticides

• Chlorinated hydrocarbons• Organophosphates• Carbamates

Herbicides

• Broad-spectrum• Broad-leaf• Grassy-leaf

Fertilizers

• Nitrates• Phosphates

Food additives

• Anti-oxidants• Anti-microbials• Sweeteners• Other flavoring

agents• Coloring agents• Humectants• Anti-caking agents

C

SNH

O

O O

Saccharin

Plasticizers

C

C

O

O

OCH3

CH3

O

CH3

CH3

DEHP, Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate

VIRUS0.1 μm(100 nm)

BACTERIUM

1 x 2 μm

PROTOZOAN

5 μm

NANOPARTICLE

<100 nm

Red blood cell