ACE Environmental & Public Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law requires pesticide applicators to follow label directions when applying pesticides near water bodies to protect aquatic ecosystems?
- Clean Air Act
- Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (Correct answer)
- Endangered Species Act
- Safe Drinking Water Act
Correct answer: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
FIFRA mandates that all pesticide use must comply with label directions, which include buffer zones and restrictions near water bodies.
Question 2: Which arthropod-borne disease is transmitted exclusively by the Aedes aegypti mosquito in urban environments?
- West Nile virus
- Eastern equine encephalitis
- Dengue fever (Correct answer)
- La Crosse encephalitis
Correct answer: Dengue fever
Dengue fever is primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti, which breeds in urban water containers and bites during the day.
Question 3: What is the primary route of human exposure to organophosphate insecticides in agricultural settings?
- Ingestion of contaminated water
- Inhalation of vapor and dermal contact (Correct answer)
- Oral ingestion of treated produce
- Ocular absorption
Correct answer: Inhalation of vapor and dermal contact
Dermal absorption and inhalation of organophosphate vapors are the dominant exposure routes for workers in agricultural environments.
Question 4: A community reports increased tick encounters after a local reforestation project. Which ecological factor most directly explains this increase?
- Increased ambient humidity
- Expanded deer and white-footed mouse habitat (Correct answer)
- Changes in soil pH
- Reduced predator diversity
Correct answer: Expanded deer and white-footed mouse habitat
Reforestation creates habitat for deer and white-footed mice, the primary hosts for tick populations, leading to tick population increases.
Question 5: The EPA's pesticide registration process requires submission of which type of data to evaluate risks to non-target organisms?
- Manufacturing cost data
- Ecotoxicology studies (Correct answer)
- Patent documentation
- Crop yield comparisons
Correct answer: Ecotoxicology studies
Ecotoxicology studies assess a pesticide's effects on birds, fish, invertebrates, and other non-target organisms as part of EPA registration.
Question 6: Which practice best reduces insecticide resistance development in a vector control program targeting mosquitoes?
- Increasing application frequency of the same product
- Rotating insecticide classes with different modes of action (Correct answer)
- Using sublethal doses to select for tolerance
- Restricting applications to a single season
Correct answer: Rotating insecticide classes with different modes of action
Rotating insecticide classes with different modes of action prevents the selection pressure that leads to resistance in mosquito populations.
Question 7: When assessing public health risk from a cockroach infestation in a food service facility, which factor is most critical?
- Cockroach species color variation
- Presence of allergens and potential pathogen dissemination (Correct answer)
- Cockroach reproductive rate alone
- Building age and construction materials
Correct answer: Presence of allergens and potential pathogen dissemination
Cockroaches spread pathogens via their bodies and feces and produce allergens that trigger asthma, making these the critical public health concern.
ACE Environmental & Public Health 2
Which federal law requires pesticide applicators to follow label directions when applying pesticides near water bodies to protect aquatic ecosystems?