Introduction into Environmental Toxicology

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Introduction into Environmental Toxicology
Health

• BIOL4000/5000
• Topic 1

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Introducing myself

• Dr. Inna Sokolova
• Office Woodward 381c
• Office hours by appointment
• E-mail isokolov_at_uncc.edu (preferred)
• Phone 78532

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Learning goals

• Environmental Toxicology definition and
  structure of the science
• Concepts Humans as a planetary force

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Environmental Toxicology

• A synthetic science encompassing different
  geographic scales and different levels of
  biological hierarchy

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Focus of this course

• Subject and methods of environmental toxicology
• Effects of environmental contaminants on
  organisms, populations and communities
• Emphasis on physiological and cellular mechanisms
  of toxic action of contaminants

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Topics

• Two types of topics
• General concepts in toxicology
• Case studies of celebrated pollutants
• List of topics can be found online under Course
  Outline

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Course assignments

• Take-home assignments (3)
• Tests (3) Essay and short answer
• Teamwork Power Point presentation on a selected
  topic in environmental toxicology (20 min)
• Assigned reading and in-class discussions
• Final test Essay

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How to do well in this class

• Attend all classes
• Start learning material from the FIRST day of the
  class
• Check course website often
• Do all the assigned readings
• Participate in all discussions
• Recommended textbooks
• Walker, Hopkin, Sibly Peakall (1997) Principles
  of ecotoxicology. Taylor Francis, London.
• Newman  (2001) Fundamentals of ecotoxicology.
  Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton etc.
• Take notes!

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Environmental Toxicology

• The branch of toxicology concerned with the study
  of toxic effects, caused by natural and synthetic
  pollutants, on the biosphere and constituents of
  the biosphere
• Biotic constituents of the biosphere plants,
  animals (including humans), microbial life
  (fungi, protozoans, bacteria)
• Abiotic components of the biosphere
  (environmental chemistry and geochemistry of
  pollutants)

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Humans as a planetary forceMaterials transport
Science 2007 316 1866
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Global distillation
PCBs, pesticides (DDT, lindane, toxaphene,
chlordane), heavy metals (Hg, Cd)
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Chernobyl accident
Extent of a radiation cloud on April 27, 1986
(red) and on May 6, 1986 (blue)
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CO2 pollution global climate change
Science 2007 318 1230
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Increased focus on the biosphereEcologically
inspired global philosophy

• Concept of the biosphere (Vladimir Vernadsky)

1863-1945
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Concept of the biosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
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NASA picture of biosphere
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Biosphere
Landscape
Ecosystem
Community
Habitat
Population
Microhabitat
Individual
Organ system Organ Tissue Cell Organelle Biomolecu
le
Phase association
Chemistry
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HIGH
LOW
Biosphere
Ecosystem
Ecological relevance Response duration Long-term
consequences
Community
Population
Individual
Tractability Ability to assign causation Pro-activ
ity in use of knowledge
Organ system Organ Tissue Cell Organelle Biomolecu
le
HIGH
LOW
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Ecologically inspired global philosophy

• Concept of Gaia (J. Lovelock)

For those who are interested http//www.kheper.au
z.com/gaia/Gaia_Hypothesis.htm
1919 -
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Hypothesis of Gaia Earth as a superorganism
The entire range of living matter on Earth from
whales to viruses and from oaks to algae could be
regarded as constituting a single living entity
capable of maintaining the Earth's atmosphere to
suit its overall needs and endowed with faculties
and powers far beyond those of its constituent
parts Dr James Lovelock - Gaia - A New Look at
Life on Earth
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Take-home messages

• Humans are a planetary force
• Global and local pollution is a natural but not
  unavoidable consequence of human activities
• Effects of pollutants can be traced on different
  levels of biological organization from
  molecular to the biosphere
• Studies at different levels of biological
  organization contribute their own, unique and
  important insights into the global impacts of a
  pollutant