Toxicology for Environmental Scientists

Key chemical properties and physiological processes will be covered to explain how chemicals are absorbed, distributed, transformed and excreted from the body, and the resulting adverse effects that substances may cause at the molecular, tissue, individual and ecosystem level when toxicological thresholds are exceeded.

Through lectures, laboratory, independent and group work, this course introduces toxicological principles, concepts and methods that are important for evaluating the relative hazards, thresholds, and possible health impacts of contaminants in the environment. You will learn the key toxicological terms in toxicology,how to apply different testing methods, and evaluate toxicological data.

The course also reviews important anatomy, physiology, biomolecules and biochemistry to allow a thorough understanding of chemical absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME), as well asmechanisms of toxic action. By the end of the course you will be able to recognize hazardous chemicals and integrate biological and chemical processes and principles that together influence toxicity and detoxification.

Topics:

• Key concepts – toxicological thresholds, toxicological receptors, mechanism of action and adverse effects
• Dose-response relationships and their qualitative and quantitative interpretation
• Chemical properties of contaminants and anatomy/biology of an organism that all affect how a contaminant is processed (ADME)
• Toxicological effects at the molecular, organism, and population levels.
• Experimental methods and toxicological testing, including the strengths and weaknesses of different methods.