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Toxicology: the study of how natural or manmade poisons cause undesirable effects in
living organisms.
Undesirable Effects: damaging to either the
survival or normal function of the individual.
Basic Terminology
Toxin: toxic substances produced naturally. A
toxin is any poisonous substance of microbial
(bacteria or other tiny plants or animals),
vegetable, animal or non-synthetic chemical
origin that reacts with specific cellular
components to kill cells, alter growth or
development, or kill the organism.
Dose-response
is a relationship between
exposure and health effect, that can be
established by measuring the response
relative to an increasing dose.
Threshold dose: a dose or exposure level
below which the harmful or adverse effects of
a substance are not seen in a population.
Respiratory Tract:
- inhalation or aspiration of gas, liquid or solid
particles
- absorption depends on solubility of the substance
into the blood or the size of the particles
Size of Particulate Matter: Dust, soot
- particle > 10 micrometers generally dont enter the
respiratory tract deposited in nose and sinus
cavity trapped in mucus and expelled
- particles < 0.01 micrometers exhaled
- particles between 0.01 and 10 micrometers can be
lodged in respiratory tract the smaller the particle
the deeper in the lungs they travel
5. Barriers to Absorption:
Blood brain barrier: Located in the capillary
wall of the blood vessels in the brain tightly joined
and dont let charged materials into the brain
allows lipid soluble (fat like substances) into the
brain
Placenta made up of layers of tissue derived
both from the mother and child usually prevents
the transfer of most toxicants
Exception: methyl mercury higher in fetuses
than mothers because of a less effective
(developed) blood brain barrier
Benzo[a]pyrene
Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbon (PAH)
Polycyclic - 5 Rings
Aromatic contains a
benzene ring
Hydrocarbon
composed of C & H
BaP is a Genotoxicant
Sources of BaP
Inefficient burning of any carbon source
Burning of fossil fuels
Energy Production
Engines
Coal and Petroleum Processing
The Paradox
BaP
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
BaP
BaP
Ah
hsp90
BaP
Ah
hsp90
Ah
hsp90
BaP
Ah
hsp90
Arnt
BaP
Ah
Arnt
Nucleus
Nucleus
Ah
Arnt
4. Dioxin/Furans
Dioxin, (or TCDD) was originally discovered
as a contaminant in the herbicide Agent
Orange. Dioxin is also a by-product of
chlorine processing in paper producing
industries.
Dioxin Poisoning
5. Pesticides
The EPA defines pesticide as any
substance or mixture of substances intended
to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate any
pest. EX: insecticide, fungicide, rodenticide,
piscocide, herbicide
6. Plant Toxins
Different portions of a plant may contain different
concentrations of chemicals. Some chemicals made
by plants can be lethal. For example, taxon, used in
chemotherapy to kill cancer cells, is produced by a
species of the yew plant.
7. Animal Toxins
These toxins can result from venomous or poisonous
animal releases. Venomous animals are usually
defined as those that are capable of producing a
poison in a highly developed gland or group of cells,
and can deliver that toxin through biting or stinging.
Poisonous animals are generally regarded as those
whose tissues, either in part or in their whole, are
toxic.
Endocrine
MEASURING TOXICITY:
1. Lethal dose-50% (LD50): the dose lethal to 50% of the
test population
- usually reported in milligrams of chemical toxicant
per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg)
- toxicity and LD50 are inversely related the greater
the toxicity, the lower the LD50 PAGE 155
2. Lethal concentration-50% (LC50): the lethal
concentration of the toxic substance in air or water for
50 % of the test population
3. Effective dose-50% (ED50): the dose of toxic
substance that is 50% successful (effective) in
producing a specific response
LD50
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Children
Greater susceptibility:
1. still developing
- changes in early development affect all
subsequent changes
2. not as effective at dealing with toxic
substances
3. weigh less
4. behaviors: crawling, chewing
Carcinogens:
cancer causing agents
suspected carcinogens those determined by feeding
extremely large doses (unreasonable exposure) to rats
Why? Too long/expensive to work with small amounts and
large numbers of test animals
PROBLEM: once a chemical is suspect, scientist work
backward and extrapolate the harmful dose
Chemical Mixtures:
- exposure is not always simple but a complex
mixture of chemicals
chemical mixtures interact several ways
Disposal Issues:
DILUTION IS THE SOLUTION TO
POLLUTION
wash it down with plenty of water..