Environmental Health & Toxicology Flashcards
7 cards from real AEP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Environmental Health & Toxicology flashcards as text
In toxicology, a 'threshold pollutant' is best defined as a chemical:
Answer: Below a certain exposure level that produces no measurable adverse effect
Threshold pollutants cause effects only above a specific dose; below that threshold, the body's defense mechanisms prevent measurable harm.
Environmental justice in the context of environmental health policy refers to:
Answer: Fair treatment of all people regardless of race, income, or national origin in the development and enforcement of environmental laws
Environmental justice ensures that no group bears a disproportionate share of negative environmental health consequences from industrial, governmental, or commercial operations.
Which organ is primarily responsible for biotransformation (metabolic processing) of most toxic chemicals in the human body?
Answer: Liver
The liver contains the highest concentration of cytochrome P450 enzymes and other metabolizing systems responsible for phase I and phase II biotransformation of xenobiotics.
Lead (Pb) exposure in children is a major public health concern primarily because of its effects on:
Answer: Neurological development and cognitive function
Lead irreversibly damages developing neural tissue, impairing IQ, attention, and behavior even at very low blood lead levels in children under six.
Ground-level ozone is best classified as which type of air pollutant?
Answer: Secondary pollutant formed from photochemical reactions between NOx and VOCs
Ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight.
In environmental toxicology, 'persistence' of a chemical refers to its:
Answer: Resistance to environmental degradation, allowing long-term presence in the environment
Persistence describes a chemical's resistance to biodegradation, photolysis, and hydrolysis, enabling it to remain in the environment for extended periods.
Which federal law requires facilities to report toxic chemical releases and transfers through the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program?
Answer: EPCRA (Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act)
EPCRA Section 313 established the TRI program, requiring manufacturing facilities to annually report releases of listed toxic chemicals to the EPA and the public.