Mike Slater

Content Sources of pollution How pollutants affect humans Examples of common pollutants and their effects

Sources of pollution

How pollutants affect humans

Examples of common pollutants and their effects

Notes and Slides http://sites.google.com/site/diamondtrainingsite [email_address]

http://sites.google.com/site/diamondtrainingsite

[email_address]

"All substances are poisons ; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy"

Pollution Effects on Human Health Direct effects Indirect effects

Direct effects

Indirect effects

Inhalation Skin contact Ingestion

Inhalation Gases Aerosols

Gases

Aerosols

Absorption Through Skin Many organic compounds readily absorbed solvents pesticides organo-metal compounds

Many organic compounds readily absorbed

solvents

pesticides

organo-metal compounds

Ingestion Foodstuff contamination Drinking water contamination

Foodstuff contamination

Drinking water contamination

Absorption Through Gut Better absorption with un-ionised, fat soluble substances

Better absorption with un-ionised, fat soluble substances

Distribution Transport by blood Substances released from storage

Transport by blood

Substances released from storage

Storage Fat lipophilic compounds e.g. some pesticides (DDT), dioxins, PCBs Bones chemicals similar to calcium fluorine, lead, strontium Blood Liver and kidney Other organs / tissues

Fat

lipophilic compounds

e.g. some pesticides (DDT), dioxins, PCBs

Bones

chemicals similar to calcium

fluorine, lead, strontium

Blood

Liver and kidney

Other organs / tissues

Biotransformation Occurs mainly in liver Also in lungs, kidney & intestine

Occurs mainly in liver

Also in lungs, kidney & intestine

Phase I reactions Oxidation Reduction hydrolysis Phase II reactions Conjugation Synthesis Metabolites Elimination

Phase I reactions

Oxidation

Reduction

hydrolysis

Phase II reactions

Conjugation

Synthesis

Biotransformation Sometimes biotransformation increases toxicity

Sometimes biotransformation increases toxicity

Excretion Kidney urine water soluble compounds

Kidney

urine

water soluble compounds

Excretion Lungs volatile compounds gaseous metabolites

Lungs

volatile compounds

gaseous metabolites

Excretion Liver bile fat soluble compounds

Liver

bile

fat soluble compounds

Excretion Other routes Hair Nails Skin Sweat Milk

Other routes

Hair

Nails

Skin

Sweat

Milk

Some Half Lives Toluene ~ 10 hours Selenium ~ 10 days Mercury ~ 6 weeks Lead ~ 10 years or more

Toluene ~ 10 hours

Selenium ~ 10 days

Mercury ~ 6 weeks

Lead ~ 10 years or more

Site of Effect Local at point of contact with the body Systemic following distribution

Local

at point of contact with the body

Systemic

following distribution

Types of Effect chronic sub-chronic sub-acute acute timescale

chronic

sub-chronic

sub-acute

acute

Types of Effect Asphyxiant Irritant Corrosive Sensitisers Systemic toxicity Carcinogens Mutagens Teratogens Reproductive effects

Asphyxiant

Irritant

Corrosive

Sensitisers

Systemic toxicity

Carcinogens

Mutagens

Teratogens

Reproductive effects

Threshold Dose

Susceptibility Variation in susceptibility between individuals Different doses required to produce same effect

Variation in susceptibility between individuals

Different doses required to produce same effect

Susceptibility Most susceptible groups include Elderly, Children, People with pre-existing disease Inter-species variation

Most susceptible groups include

Elderly,

Children,

People with pre-existing disease

Inter-species variation

Some LD50s ETHYL ALCOHOL 7060 SODIUM CHLORIDE 3000 NAPHTHALENE 1760 FERROUS SULFATE 1500 ASPIRIN 1000 FORMALDEHYDE 800 AMMONIA 350 CAFFEINE 192 PHENOBARBITAL 150 CHLORPHENIRAMINE MALEATE 118 DDT 100 STRYCHNINE SULFATE 2 NICOTINE 1 DIOXIN 0.0001 BOTULINUS TOXIN 0.00001 mg/kg body weight

ETHYL ALCOHOL 7060

SODIUM CHLORIDE 3000

NAPHTHALENE 1760

FERROUS SULFATE 1500

ASPIRIN 1000

FORMALDEHYDE 800

AMMONIA 350

CAFFEINE 192

PHENOBARBITAL 150

CHLORPHENIRAMINE MALEATE 118

DDT 100

STRYCHNINE SULFATE 2

NICOTINE 1

DIOXIN 0.0001

BOTULINUS TOXIN 0.00001

Pollution Effects on Human Health Direct effects Indirect effects

Direct effects

Indirect effects

Chemicals in the Environment Chemical reactions Photochemical reactions Biological transformation Bioaccumulation

Chemical reactions

Photochemical reactions

Biological transformation

Bioaccumulation

Exposure to Pollutants Concentration Accumulation Mixed exposures

Concentration

Accumulation

Mixed exposures

Animal experiments Human volunteer studies Epidemiological evidence Evidence for Effects of Pollution

Animal experiments

Human volunteer studies

Epidemiological evidence

Types of Effect Asphyxiant Irritant Corrosive Sensitisers Systemic toxicity Carcinogens Mutagens Teratogens Reproductive effects

Asphyxiant

Irritant

Corrosive

Sensitisers

Systemic toxicity

Carcinogens

Mutagens

Teratogens

Reproductive effects

Sensitisers Respiratory Rhinitis Asthma Allergic alveolitis

Respiratory

Rhinitis

Asthma

Allergic alveolitis

Cancer Unregulated growth and proliferation of cells

Unregulated growth and proliferation of cells

Carcinogens Long latency period

Long latency period

Toxicological Interactions Independent Additive Synergistic Potentiation Antagonism

Independent

Additive

Synergistic

Potentiation

Antagonism

London 1952

Air pollution estimated to cause 800,000 deaths per year worldwide Source: WHO, The world health report 2002 - Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life (Page 69) http://www.who.int/whr/2002/en/

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/globatmos/gagccukem.htm

Carbon Dioxide No direct effects to humans at atmospheric concentration Indirect effects due to climate change

No direct effects to humans at atmospheric concentration

Indirect effects due to climate change

Carbon Monoxide - Effects Chemical asphyxiant Binds with haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin Reduces oxygen-carrying capacity of blood

Chemical asphyxiant

Binds with haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin

Reduces oxygen-carrying capacity of blood

Sulphur dioxide Sulphur dioxide

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/airqual/kf/aqkf20.htm

Sulphur Dioxide - Effects Soluble acid gas Upper respiratory tract irritation

Soluble acid gas

Upper respiratory tract irritation

Sulphur Dioxide - Effects Increased effect on people with pre-existing respiratory disease

Increased effect on people with pre-existing respiratory disease

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/airqual/aqemnox.htm

Nitrogen Dioxide Deep lung irritant Less evidence for effect on pre-existing conditions

Deep lung irritant

Less evidence for effect on pre-existing conditions

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/airqual/kf/aqkf23.htm

VOCs - Direct effects Depends on compound

Depends on compound

VOCs - Indirect effects Photochemical ozone formation Ozone depletion

Photochemical ozone formation

Ozone depletion

Ozone Produced by photochemical reactions Deep lung irritant

Produced by photochemical reactions

Deep lung irritant

Ozone - Acute effects Reduced lung function Aggravates asthma Damages lining of respiratory passages

Reduced lung function

Aggravates asthma

Damages lining of respiratory passages

Ozone - Chronic effects Permanent reduction in lung function?

Permanent reduction in lung function?

Toxic Metals Lead Cadmium Mercury Chromium Nickel etc.

Lead

Cadmium

Mercury

Chromium

Nickel

etc.

Water and Land Pollution

Mercury - The Minamata Incident Minamata Bay, Japan, 1950s Chisso Corporation

Minamata Bay, Japan, 1950s

Chisso Corporation

Mercury - The Minamata Incident Inorganic mercury discharged Biotransformed to methylmercury Bioaccumulation in fish Ingestion by humans

Inorganic mercury discharged

Biotransformed to methylmercury

Bioaccumulation in fish

Ingestion by humans

Initial Symptoms Peripheral sensory loss Delirium Disturbed speech, vision and hearing Disturbed gait

Peripheral sensory loss

Delirium

Disturbed speech, vision and hearing

Disturbed gait

Severe cases General paralysis, involuntary movements Convulsions, brain damage, Death

General paralysis, involuntary movements

Convulsions, brain damage,

Death

Camelford Incident 1988, Camelford, Cornwall Aluminium sulphate contamination of water supply

1988, Camelford, Cornwall

Aluminium sulphate contamination of water supply

Camelford Incident Short term effects nausea vomiting mouth ulcers skin rashes

Short term effects

nausea

vomiting

mouth ulcers

skin rashes

Camelford Incident Longer term effects memory loss? effects on cerebal function?

Longer term effects

memory loss?

effects on cerebal function?

Effects of Arsenic Pollution Skin keratonosis Melanosis

Skin

keratonosis

Melanosis

Effects of Arsenic Pollution Gastrointestinal disturbances Cancer skin lung, liver, bladder

Gastrointestinal disturbances

Cancer

skin

lung, liver, bladder

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