`

PHARMACOLOGY
2.5B ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL TOXICANTS, HEAVY METALS AND CHELATORS

TOXICOLOGY
OCCUPATIONAL
Chemicals found in the workplace.

Concentration of contaminant may be virtually undetected in

water
Magnified thousands of times as the contaminant passes up
the food chain
BIOMAGNIFICATION

ENVIRONMENTAL
Deleterious impact of chemicals on living organism present as
pollutants.

BIOMAGNIFICATION IN FOOD CHAIN

Polychlorinated biphenyls
undetectable in water

ECOTOXICOLOGY
Toxic effects of chemicals and physical agents on population
and communities of living organism within a specified
ecosystem.

Phyloplankton X 1
Zooplankton X 49.2

OCCUPATIONAL TOXICOLOGY
Identifies agents
Defines safety
- Threshold limit values (TLVs)
Lays down guidelines to minimize absorption

Rainbow smelt X 416

Lake trout X 1932
Herring gulf X 49,600

water

Fish fry ???

environment

air

soil

POLLUTION
Industrialization
Technologic development
Urbanization
HAZARD
VS
Ability of agent to cause
injury
Primary consideration:
Use and exposure

RISK
Frequency of occurrence
of undesirable effects
arising from exposure.

EXPOSURE

ROUTES
Inhalation
Oral
Transdermal

DURATION
Acute - single or multiple
for 2-3 days
Industry - occupational
Chronic - occupational or
atmospheric

AGENT ORANGE VIETNAM WAR

HEALTH EFFECTS
3 million vietnamese people have been affected by Agent
Orange
Including at least 150,000 children born with birth defects
4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to Agent Orange,
resulting in 400,000 people being killed or maimed.
POLLUTION AND POLLUTANTS
Introduction of substances into the environment that alter its
physical, chemical and biological properties in such a way that
it is harmful to living organism.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
Intake of a contaminant by an organism
Exceeds the latter's activity to metabolize or excrete substance
Chemical accumulates within the tissue of the organism
BIOACCUMULATION

AIR POLLUTANTS
TYPES & SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
Sulfur oxides
CO
Volatile organic compounds
5 pollutants - 98% of air
Particulate matter
pollution
Nitrogen oxides
Others - Lead, Hydrocarbons, Cadmium, H2S, Ozone,
Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon, Indoor air pollution

POLLUTANTS
CO - 52%
SO - 14%
Hydrocarbons - 14%
Air pollution - 98%
NO - 14%
Particulate matter - 4%

SOURCES
Transportation
Industry
Generation of electric power
Space heating
Refuse disposal
Coal combustion

CO - 52%
PROPERTIES
Colorless, tasteless, odorless and non-irritating gas
Incomplete combustion

MECHANISMS OF ACTION
CO + HB = Carboxyhemoglobin
Cannot transport oxygen
Brain and heart most affected

CLINICAL EFFECTS
Psychomotor impairment
Headache
Loss of visual acuity
Tachycardia, tachypnea, syncope & coma
Page 1 of 2

Pharmacology

Convulsions, shock and respiratory failure

TREATMENT
Administration of oxygen

2.5B ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL TOXICANTS, HEAVY METALS AND CHELATORS

SO2 - 14%
PROPERTIES
Colorless, irritant gas
Combustion of sulfur - containing fossil fuels

MECHANISM OF EFFECTS
Moist membranes + SO2 -> sulfurous acid -> severe irritation
of the eyes, mucous membranes, skin
Bronchoconstriction & Pulmonary edema

TREATMENT
No specific treatment

NO2 - 14%
PROPERTIES
Brownish irritant gas
Fire and fresh silage-Silo filler's disease in farmers
Lung irritant - pulmonary edema

TREATMENT
Preventive and symptomatic

OZONE
PROPERTIES
Bluish irritant gas - occurs normally in the earth's atmosphere

SOURCES
Workplace - around high-voltage electrical equipment and
around ozone-producing devices used for air and water
purification.
Important oxidant found in polluted urban air.
Important absorbent of ultraviolet light.

CLINICAL EFFECTS AND TREATMENT

Mild exposure - URTI
Severe - Deep lung irritation - pulmonary edema
Airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation
Acute intoxication - NO treatment

SOLVENTS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON
CCl4
Chloroform
Methyl chloroform
Trichlorethylene
Tetrachloroethylene

Industrial solvents
Degreasing agents
Cleaning agents

USES

Tetrachloroethylene -> Impaired memory and neuropathy

Carcinogenic effect - large safety margin
TREATMENT
No specific treatment
AROMATIC HYDROCARBON : BENZENE
ACUTE EFFECTS
CHRONIC EFFECTS
CNS depression

Very serious effects

Euphoria, nausea,

Injury: Bone marrow

locomotor problems

Increase incidence of
Vertigo, headache
leukemia
Coma
TOLOUENE (METHYLBENZENE)
NO myelotoxic properties, nor associated with leukemia
CNS depressant

Organochlorine

Organophosphorous

Carbamate

Botanical

Pesticides

ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES
DDT (Chlorophenothane)
Benzene hexachloride
Cycylodienes
Toxaphenes
MECHANISM OF TOXICITY
Interfere with inactivation of -> rapid repetitive firing of most
neurons

EFFECTS
CNS stimulation
Tremors and convulsion

TREATMENT
No specific treatment

PROPERTIES
Environmental toxicology
Persistent chemical
Slow degradation
Bioaccumulation in acquatic ecosystem is well documented
Once absorb in soil - do not readily desorb

ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS
Chemicals mimic, enhance, or inhibit a hormonal action
Estrogen-like or anti androgenic properties
Eg. Phytoestrogens, Mycoestrogens, Persistent organochlorine
agents such as DDT

CLINICAL EFFECTS
CNS depression
Liver injury, kidney injury
Cardiotoxicity
Page 2 of 2