Ch 9: Environmental Hazards Flashcard

Front

What is bioaccumulation?

Back

The process by which certain substances, such as pesticides or heavy metals, accumulate in an organism's body over time, often leading to higher concentrations than in the surrounding environment.

Front

What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?

Back

A hazard is a potential source of harm, while risk is the probability that the hazard will cause a harmful effect.

Front

Define neurotoxin.

Back

A neurotoxin is a substance that is poisonous or destructive to nerve tissue.

Front

What are emerging diseases?

Back

Diseases that are newly identified or have recently increased in incidence, often due to changes in environmental conditions or human behavior.

Front

What is a vector in the context of disease?

Back

An organism, often an insect, that transmits pathogens from one host to another.

Front

What is toxicity?

Back

The degree to which a substance can harm humans or animals.

Front

What are carcinogens?

Back

Substances that are known to cause cancer in living tissue.

Front

What is the role of heavy metals in environmental hazards?

Back

Heavy metals can be toxic to humans and wildlife, affecting various bodily systems, particularly the nervous system.

Front

What is the significance of the dose-response relationship?

Back

It describes the relationship between the amount of a substance (dose) and the severity of the effect (response) it produces.

Front

What is the precautionary principle in environmental health?

Back

A strategy to cope with possible risks where scientific understanding is yet incomplete, advocating for preventive action in the face of uncertainty.