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Environmental Toxicology

Environmental Toxicology. Introduction and History. Course Objectives. Elucidate basic principles of toxicology as they apply to both ecological and physiological systems Evaluate sources, effects, and fates of toxins in individual components of ecosystems

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Environmental Toxicology

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  1. Environmental Toxicology Introduction and History

  2. Course Objectives • Elucidate basic principles of toxicology as they apply to both ecological and physiological systems • Evaluate sources, effects, and fates of toxins in individual components of ecosystems • Promote understanding of how toxic effects are integrated within ecosystems and on a global scale • Increase knowledge of current issues in environmental toxicology

  3. Why teach Environmental Toxicology? • A relatively new science that grew out of two phenomena • Dramatic presence of human species on the landscape • Awareness of environmental degradation (either real or potential) the importance of a healthy environment in maintaining the quality of life

  4. Increased Presence of Humans

  5. Environmental degradation/improvement

  6. Ecology vs Toxicology vs Environmental Toxicology • Definitions Ecology – the study of the interactions among organisms and between organisms and the environment Toxicology – study of biological effects of toxins Environmental toxicology • Truhart, 1969 - study of adverse effexcts of chemicals and physical agents on living organisms • Duffus, 1980 – study of effects of toxic substances in both natural and human-created environments • Moriarity, 1985 – study of the fate and effects of toxic compounds on ecosystems • Calow, 1993 – protection of ecological systems from adverse effects by synthetic chemicals • Landis and Yu - ?

  7. Environmental toxicology: an interdisciplinary science • Encompasses multiple disciplines • Ecologists • Chemists • Molecular biologists • Geneticists • Pharmacologists • Mathematical modelers and statisticians Happens because fundamental interaction of toxicants is at the molecular level but effects occur across multiple biological and physical scales (see Fig. 1.1)

  8. Difference between Toxicology and Environmental Toxicology Classical toxicology Environmental toxicology

  9. Variable Environments • Water (1°) called 2. Air environmental media 3. Soil

  10. History of Environmental Toxicology • A relatively new discipline • 2006 = 30th annual symposium of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) and 27th meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicologists and Chemists (SETAC) • Initial science directed at efficacy testing of pesticides in 1940’s moved thru cleanup of burning rivers, polluted lakes and wildlife kills of 1960’s  environmental risk and life cycle assessments of recently developed compounds

  11. Main events fostering change in public perception and thus environmental regulations • Silent Spring published • Cuyahoga River catches fire • NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) • Establishment of the EPA

  12. Environmental Science is driven by protective legislation • Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act • Toxic Substances Control Act (TOSCA) • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, Superfund) • Clean Water Act (CWA) 1974 • Clean Air Act (CAA) – last amended in 1990 Note: can often have overlap of regulations with different standards Ex. EPA reg. for Hg in wild fish is 10X less than that allowed by FDA in supermarket fish

  13. Areas interacting within environmental toxicology • Scientific community (academia) • Governmental agencies • Industry • General Public

  14. Scientific community (academia) • Intellectual and industrial force driving environmental research • Mostly financed by governmental grants • Dissemination of information by peer-reviewed publication, symposia and conferences, workshops • Most work accomplished by graduate students (Thank you, graduate students!)

  15. Governmental agencies • Includes federal, state, provincial (Canada!) and municipal agencies • Mostly act as developers and enforcers of policy • Prime examples - US EPA, AR DEQ, AR G&F • Also includes • FWS • ACE • NMFS • USCG • Lots of jobs paying decent $

  16. Industry • Generally includes businesses that mine, manufacture, transport, or use chemicals • Most environmental regulations designed to control above • Industry has to test for toxicity, determine levels of chemicals, design treatment systems • Often use environmental consulting firms or in-house environmental staff • Fewer jobs but they can often pay ridiculous amounts of $

  17. General Public • Per Landis includes NGOs • Citizen’s groups • Rotary, Kiwanis • Unions • Environmental advocacy groups • Sierra Club • Audubon Society • World Wildlife Fund • Defenders of the Environment • Etc • Primary avenues of action • Informing layperson’s • Lobbying legislators • ?

  18. Midnight sunset over Alaskan fishing village Photo by R. Grippo

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