PHAR 303 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Occupational Asthma, Dysautonomia, Public Health Genomics

• School: McGill University
• Department: Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Course: PHAR 303
• Professor: Bernard Robaire

Document Summary

Phar 303 lecture 21: environmental toxicology (robaire) If none of these occur, there is no need to worry about the chemical in the environment: some chemicals have long t1/2 meaning it will take 40-50 years for the chemical to be removed. Bioaccumulation: accumulation of contaminants from the environment and food, positively correlated with lipophilicity, directly related to the t1/2 of the molecule, bioaccumulative substances are hydrophobic and fat-soluble, lake ontario organisms: pcb vs lipid % linear relationship. There are >20 000 household pesticides containing >300 active ingredients and 1700 inert ingredients. Indirect exposure through food: children who consumed organic fruits, vegetables and juices had significantly lower levels of dimethylthiophosphate pesticide in the urine (less exposure) Importantly, organic food still contains pesticides due to water contamination and aerial spraying but the exposure is significantly reduced. Direct exposure, dermal absorption: pesticides will be absorbed to different degrees depending on the body part, this is determined in general by skin thickness.