Environmental Health I. Introduction

1. Environmental Health I. Introduction Shu-Chi Chang, Ph.D., P.E., P.A. Assistant Professor1 and Division Chief2 1Department of Environmental Engineering 2Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Center for Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety and Health National Chung Hsing University

2. Outline • Instructor’s background • Course overview and grading policy • Overview of this course • Grading policy • References • Introduction of Environmental Health

3. Instructor’sbackground • Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, U.S.A. (among the top 5 graduate programs in U.S. News ranking) • Award • Government Scholarship: Sole grantee in Environmental Engineering in year 2000. • Professional qualification • PE, Environmental Engineering (1989) • PE, Industrial Safety Engineering (1997) • CPA, ISO 14000 (1996, Naville & Clark) • CPA, ISO 9000 (1997, Mercedes-Benz) • Professional Expertise • Environmental microbiology and nanobiotechnology (8 years) • Bioremediation of contaminated soils and groundwater (6 years) • Integrated quality, environmental, safety, and health management ( 5 year)

4. Dissertational Research • Rapid detection and enumeration of mycobacteria in metalworking fluids: technology development and validation • Tools • Flow cytometry • Fluorescent antibody and nucleic acid dyes • Functionalized magnetic nanoparticle • Statistical data analysis • Contributions • Shortened test time by more than 95% • Single colony-forming-unit sensitivity • ~98% specificity • Good correlation over 4 orders of magnitude • Can effectively reduce health hazards and environmental burdens

5. Extended Research • Nano-emulsion: novel industrial fluid formulations, groundwater remediation enhancer, etc. • Ultrafine magnetic nanoparticles (~1 nm) • Flow-Genomics™: an ultrasensitive and high-throughput single molecule detection platform • Instantaneous characterization of microbial ecosystems:simultaneous identification of structural and functional roles of numerous microorganisms in a microbial ecosystem • Peptide Nucleic Acid Probes

6. Dioxin Study • University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study (UMDES) • Soil, blood, dust, and questionnaire • Data analysis • Modeling • Pattern analysis • Exposure pathway modeling • Conclusion • Age, sex, and BMI account for 50% of the variation in serum dioxins • Fish and game consumption, river activity, and specific occupation account for 1-6 % of the variation in serum dioxins • Living on the contaminated lands, living within Midland and Saginaw counties account for 0.2~1.0% of the variation in serum dioxins

7. Overview of this course (1) • Teaching goals • To equip students with fundamental knowledge in environmental health and enhance their comprehension of current environmental health issues. • To help students be familiar with the links between environmental pollution sources and their endpoints.

8. Overview of this course (2) • Main topics • Chemical and toxicology • Biological agents and epidemiology • Workplace hazards • Environmental hazards • Law and policy • Risk assessment • Others: Energy and disaster response

9. Overview of this course (3) • Style • Fact and Engineering oriented • Understanding and memorization • Quantification and calculation • Group learning • Finish a group term project together

10. Grading policy 1. All lectures, assignments and tests will be given in English. However, questions, term paper, and homework are allowed to be finished in Chinese or English. 2. Homework will be handed out every 2 to 3 weeks and a term paper will be assigned to each group of students, usually 2 students in a group. Late homework or term paper submission is not acceptable.Discussion is allowed but no copying (will get significant loss of points). 3. Composition of final score • Midterm (30%, close-book, 90 minutes); Final (35%, open-book, 90 minutes) • Homework (20%); Term paper (15%) • Participation (5%) 4. Term paper requirements: Font in size 12 and double space. 7 pages minimum and 10 pages maximum, not including references. References should be no less than 7 citations as journal articles, preferably in English. (Again, no copying or plagiarism. )

11. Group Term Paper • Why • Promotion of group learning and interaction • Chance to investigate the topic you are most interested in within environmental health realm • Getting familiar with the format of typical journal article writing • Environmental professionals need better communication skills than any other engineering professionals

12. Schedule

13. Textbook and references • Textbook (not required): • Moeller, D.W., 2005. Environmental Health. Harvard University Press, 3rd edition (A copy will be available on reserve desk in NCHU library). • References: • Bassett, W.H. Clay’s handbook of environmental health. 19th ed.; Spon Press, 2004. New York. (Electronic resource, NCHU Library) • Worthington, David. Dictionary of environmental health; Spon Press, 2003. New York. (Electronic resource, NCHU Library) • For lecturing slides, please refer to http://web.nchu.edu.tw/pweb/users/shucc

14. Office hours and others • Office hours: • Wednesday: 11AM (noon) ~ 12PM • Other time: by appointment • Guest speakers (TBA)

15. Introduction • Definition • “In its broader sense, environmental health (EH) is the segment of public health that is concerned with assessing, understanding, and controlling the impacts of people on their environment and the impacts of environment on them.”–Moeller, D.W., 1997. • For human well-being, interactions are important • Defined more by the problems than by the approaches • Subtle differences between EH professionals and Public health professionals

16. Defining the environment (I) • Inner versus outer environment • Principle protective barriers • Skin • Gastrointestinal tract • Lung membrane

17. Defining the environment (II) • Personal versus ambient environment • Personal environment: have control • ambient environment: have no control

18. Defining the environment (III) • Gaseous, liquid, and solid environments • Gaseous: particulates and gases • Liquid: discharged into water • Solid: solid wastes, esp. plastics and toxic chemicals

19. Defining the environment (IV) • Four aspects that affect people’s health • Chemical • Biological • Physical • Socioeconomic

20. Assessing the problems • Population growth and urban environments • Steps to assess the problems • Determining the sources of contaminants and nature of them • How and pathway of contact • Measuring the effects • Applying controls • Need an interdisciplinary team • Need to recognize technological advent in analytical instrumentation

21. Cancer and the personal environment • Tobacco use • Physical activity • Weight maintenance • Healthy diet • Alcohol

22. Systems approach • Pollution may only change into different forms • Examples • Incineration • Air-cleaning systems • Chemical treatment of liquid waste • Discharge of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides • Discharge of chlorofluorocarbons • Discharge of carbon dioxides

23. Intervention and control • Three different intervention models • Clinical • Public health • Environmental stewardship

24. Outlook • Recognition of the problems and capability to control them. However, “greatest good” is important. • Take system approach and avoid exchange of problems • Sustainable development makes sense