ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL TOXICOLOGY WITH ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Basics of environmental and occupational hygiene, biology, physics, organic and inorganic chemistry, environmental chemistry. Reading and oral comprehension of English is highly recommended.
Written or oral exam.
The main aim of the course is the study of the interactions between man and environment, both in terms of analysis of the effect of human activities and stressors on environment and in terms of exposure assessment and effects arising from toxicological hazards on health. Particular attention will be paid to presenting the effects and mechanisms of action arising from exposure to contaminants (xenobiotics, endocrine disruptors, particulate air pollution) or to environmental stressors on biological systems, in vivo and in vitro (damage to DNA and proteins, cell damage, reproductive dysfunctions, developmental defects, teratogenic and other biomarkers in animal models and humans). Genetic, epigenetic and molecular abnormalities impacting on the cell cycle and metabolic control will be also discussed.
Basics of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry.
Introduction to Toxicology: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of toxics. Methodologies for toxicological (hazard) assessment: acute toxicity, chronic toxicity, genotoxicity. Dose-effect and dose-response relationships.
Receptor-mediated and non-receptor-mnediated mechanisms of action.
Definition of NOEL, NOAEL, LOEL, LOAEL, LD50.
Methods for the assessment of toxicity in vitro, in vivo and in silico.
Risk assessment and derivation of occupational and environmental exposure limit values (health-based).
Toxicology of Industrial Processes:
- Metals (eg. Lead, Mercury, Chromium etc.).
- Gas (eg. Sarin, CO etc.);
- solvents (eg. Hexane, toluene, benzene etc.);
- Pesticides (organophosphates etc.)
Diseases potentially related to environmental and occupational exposures.
Environmental impacts: regulations. Impacts on soil, water and air from human activities and consequent impact on health through different exposure routes. Exposure assessment for human populations. Exposure of the general population and Total Exposure Assessment (from contamination of air in living and working environment, water, food).
IPPC and IEA. Laws 152/06 and 81/08. REACH, CLP and GHS regulations. Chemical Safety Assessment, Chemical Safety Report, Exposure Scenarios, DMELs and DNELs.
Case studies:
- substances subjected to authorization or restriction
- industrial processes implying high environmental impacts and subjected to environmental impact assessment and risk management measures (petrochemical industry, steel industry, industrial accidents, incinerators) management systems and integrated environmental certification. Risk management.
Environmental communication and information, risk control measures, environmental policies.
- Casarett e Doull' s Tossicologia - I fondamenti dell' azione delle sostanze tossiche - Editore: EMSI ISBN: 9788886669764, Volume: Unico
- D.J. Paustenbach "The risk assessment of environmental and human health hazards: a textbook of case studies", A. Wiley-Interscience Publication, J. Wiley & Sons
- C.L. Galli, E.Corsini, M. Marinovich. "Tossicologia ", Ed. Piccin, Padova
Lesson slides (e-learning environment).
Oral lessons
The lecturer is available by appointment (to be contacted by e-mail).