Homework: OSHA Toxicology
I. Do a quick search on Bisphenol A (BPA). Based on the findings in your search and the textbook's discussion on BPA, what are your thoughts on the safety of BPA use in consumer products? Do you believe the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) position on BPA is valid? Why might the concern of BPA in baby products, such as bottles and pacifiers, be of greater concern than other products for the general population? Would you let your baby drink from a bottle with BPA?
II. A family goes fishing at a weekend getaway and has a fish fry with their catch. Several of the family members fall sick, and when they were screened in the emergency room, test results show that benzene was consumed by the family members. The fish that were consumed evidently came from a lake that was contaminated. The following data set represents the level of benzene (in micrograms) that each member consumed. Within your response, please explain how you calculated your answer.
Given the data set 215, 501, 305, 298, 345, 305, 465, calculate the results below:
i. mean,
ii. mode,
iii. median, and
iv. standard deviation.
III. A population of individuals was exposed to lead contamination in drinking water at the concentration of 27 parts per billion (ppb). The following represents a small sample set from the population indicating the level of response to the contaminant rated on a scale from 1-20. Within your response, please explain how you calculated your answer (1 indicating minimal effects and 20 indicating maximum effects to the lead exposure).
Given the data set 9, 12, 7, 15, 8, 9, 10, calculate the following results:
i. mean,
ii. mode,
iii. median, and
iv. standard deviation.
IV. Discuss the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). What was DDT initially used for, and how does it work as a pesticide? Explain the benefits of DDT, and then discuss how DDT moves through the environment.
V. Explain the difference between pollution and contamination. Discuss a specific environmental pollutant that has had a negative effect on the environment. How did the pollutant affect the environment? How was the pollutant introduced and transferred throughout the environment?
VI. Discuss an environmental occupational toxicant that has been in the news within the last 6 months. Discuss the concerns that have brought media attention to this toxicant. Discuss the common route of entry, health concerns, and symptoms that indicate toxicity of this chemical. Reflect on ways that this chemical may be avoided or the health concerns eradicated.
VII. Discuss an environmental occupational toxicant that has been in the news within the last 6 months. Discuss the concerns that have brought media attention to this toxicant. Discuss the common route of entry, health concerns, and symptoms that indicate toxicity of this chemical. Reflect on ways that this chemical may be avoided or the health concerns eradicated.
VIII. Identify the factors that can affect the distribution of a toxicant in the body. Explain how manipulation of these factors can increase toxicity.
IX. A doctor can send hair samples from a newborn infant to be analyzed in the lab to see if the mother drank alcohol during the pregnancy. This is one test that can be performed to assist in diagnosing fetal alcohol syndrome. Recalling what you know about elimination of toxicants, briefly explain why this test can be used to determine exposure to alcohol.
X. Explain the processes used by the body to eliminate a toxicant. Provide an example of a situation where one of these processes might be inhibited and how the inability to eliminate the toxicant might impact the individual.
XI. Identify the three systems of the body in which toxicants can enter, give a brief description of how this may occur, and provide an example of a toxicant that can enter the body through each system.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
i) The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
ii) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
iii) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.