Course Overview
This course provides an introduction to the principles of toxicology, as applied to environmental engineering. Course topics include a review of biological, organic and inorganic substances and their properties and behaviour in the environment; the biological responses of cells and animals to toxic substances; and the application of toxicology to risk assessment and the development of water-quality guidelines.
Prerequisite(s)
- 50% in EENG 7712
Credits
1.0
- Not offered this term
- This course is not offered this term. Notify me to receive email notifications when the course opens for registration next term.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, the student will be able to:
- Describe the basic structure and function of the human: digestive system, respiratory system, integumentary system, urinary system, nervous system and endocrine system.
- Discuss the broad and encompassing spectrum of the science of toxicology: toxicology definitions, interdisciplinary nature of toxicology, fields of toxicology and the history of toxicology.
- Provide examples of important sources of toxicants: air, water and soil, occupational, food and drug, and miscellaneous.
- Explain basic toxicology terms and concepts: toxicant, exposure pathway, exposure route, exposure time frames, dose and bioavailability.
- Describe in detail the following toxicokenetic processes:
- Absorption - gastrointestinal, respiratory and integumentary.
- Distribution - blood, lymph, tissues, organs and barriers.
- Metabolism - biotransformation of toxicants:
- Phase 1 reactions (oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis).
- Phase 2 reactions (cofactor conjugation).
- Excretion - urinary, biliary, respiratory, zero order kinetics, first order kinetics and biological half-life.
- Describe in detail the following toxicodynamic responses:
- Acute effects.
- Chronic effects.
- Mutagenic effects.
- Teratogenic effects.
- Carcinogenic effects.
- Neurological effects.
- Toxicant interactions (addition, synergism, potentiation and antagonism).
- Describe in detail the principles of toxicity testing.
- List the three basic criteria of a dose-response relationship.
- Interpret a dose-response curve with regard to NOEL, threshold, LOEL, ED50, and LD50.
- Define the term LD50.
- Describe how an LD50 test is conducted.
- Compare and contrast dose-response frequency distributions, cumulative frequency distributions and probit plots.
- Interpret dose-response curves; toxicity ratings, potency/efficacy, slope, therapeutic index and margin of safety.
- Discuss the limitations of acute lethality testing LD50.
- Acknowledge laboratory costs associated with descriptive toxicity test.
- Discuss in detail the principles of carcinogenesis.
- Define the terms carcinogen, cancer, neoplasia, tumour, malignant and benign.
- Provide a historical overview on the discovery of chemical carcinogenesis.
- Identify the most common types of human cancer.
- Identify the main causes of human cancers.
- Discuss chemical carcinogenesis; types, mechanisms of action (genotoxic versus epigenetic).
- Explain the Ames test and its relevance.
- Recall the US EPA weight of evidence classification system for carnicogenicity.
- Describe the health and environmental effects of several priority environmental contaminants.
- Discuss metals/metalloids - lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic.
- Discuss organics - BTEX, TCE, PCE, PAHs, PCBs and dioxins.
- Discuss pesticides, organochlorines and organophosphates.
- Discuss endocrine disruptors - steroids and nonylphenol.
- Discuss the general attributes of ecotoxicology.
- Define ecotoxicology.
- Discuss the history of ecotoxicology.
- Acknowledge the interdisciplinary aspects of ecotoxicology.
- Describe Environment Canada bioassay procedures for the following:
- Discuss acute lethality testing using rainbow trout.
- Discuss toxicity testing using luminescent bacteria (Microtox®).
- Discuss testing for survival and growth in sediment using freshwater amphipod.
- Discuss common biomarkers used in ecotoxicology.
- Describe biomarkers of exposure.
- Describe biomarkers of effect - gold, silver and bronze tests.
- Distinguish between bioaccumulation, bioconcentration and biomagnification.
- Derive and apply bioconcentration factors.
- Carry out Log Kow calculations.
- Calculate biomagnification factors between trophic levels.
- Generate a comprehensive toxicological review paper on a priority environmental contaminant.
Effective as of Fall 2003
Programs and courses are subject to change without notice. Find out more about BCIT course cancellations.