Question 1

Why are public water supplies monitored for fecal coliform bacteria despite the fact that most strains of E. coli do not cause disease?

Accepted Answer

A) E. coli is the best indicator of sewage-contaminated water because it doesn't appear in the environment except from human and animal feces. 
B) The fecal coliform test is the least expensive, though not most accurate, way to test for sewage contamination. 
C) Contrary to what is generally accepted, E. Coli is in fact a deadly disease causing pathogen. 
D) E. Coli is the only bacteria in our water supply that we know how to test for. 
A) E. coli is the best indicator of sewage-contaminated water because it doesn't appear in the environment except from human and animal feces. 
B) The fecal coliform test is the least expensive, though not most accurate, way to test for sewage contamination. 
C) Contrary to what is generally accepted, E. Coli is in fact a deadly disease causing pathogen. 
D) E. Coli is the only bacteria in our water supply that we know how to test for.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about malaria is FALSE:

Accepted Answer

A) It is a non-transmittable disease caused by synthetic chemicals. 
B) Road clearing in the Amazon has disrupted the natural environment and created habitat for the mosquito larvae to thrive. 
C) Mosquitoes do not cause malaria but are the agents of transmission of the disease. 
D) It is an infectious disease caused by a parasite. 
A) It is a non-transmittable disease caused by synthetic chemicals. 
B) Road clearing in the Amazon has disrupted the natural environment and created habitat for the mosquito larvae to thrive. 
C) Mosquitoes do not cause malaria but are the agents of transmission of the disease. 
D) It is an infectious disease caused by a parasite.

Question 3

What is the precautionary principle? What are the advantages and potential challenges of such an approach? Identify one way in which this principle has created international controversy.

Accepted Answer

The precautionary principle is the polic

Question 4

A dose-response curve shows:

Accepted Answer

A) the dose of a given chemical that is lethal to 50% of the population. 
B) the dose of a given chemical that is lethal to 90% of the population. 
C) the correct dose to use in the treatment of illness. 
D) the effect of different doses on a population of test organisms. 
A) the dose of a given chemical that is lethal to 50% of the population. 
B) the dose of a given chemical that is lethal to 90% of the population. 
C) the correct dose to use in the treatment of illness. 
D) the effect of different doses on a population of test organisms.

Question 5

A carcinogen is a:

Accepted Answer

A) type of microorganism associated with human sewage. 
B) cancer-causing chemical, radiation, or virus. 
C) vehicle that requires no gasoline to operate. 
D) phytochemical (a protective plant compound that promotes health). 
A) type of microorganism associated with human sewage. 
B) cancer-causing chemical, radiation, or virus. 
C) vehicle that requires no gasoline to operate. 
D) phytochemical (a protective plant compound that promotes health).

Question 6

Risk:

Accepted Answer

A) only applies to environmental impact on human health and welfare. 
B) is an assessment of the financial cost of environmental impact. 
C) is the probability that a given hypothesis will be proven true. 
D) is the probability of injury, disease, death, or environmental damage under a given set of circumstances. 
A) only applies to environmental impact on human health and welfare. 
B) is an assessment of the financial cost of environmental impact. 
C) is the probability that a given hypothesis will be proven true. 
D) is the probability of injury, disease, death, or environmental damage under a given set of circumstances.

Question 7

Define acute toxicity and explain how it is different from chronic toxicity? Use the example of pesticides to highlight the differences between the forms of toxicity.

Accepted Answer

Acute toxicity is the adverse effect tha

Question 8

Which of the following was the banning of hormone treated and GMO fed beef by the European Union based upon?

Accepted Answer

A) EPA regulations. 
B) The Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. 
C) Previous problems with toxicity of these chemicals. 
D) The precautionary principle. 
A) EPA regulations. 
B) The Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. 
C) Previous problems with toxicity of these chemicals. 
D) The precautionary principle.

Question 9

Which of the following is required to adequately quantify risk using a risk assessment? 1 Comparison groups must be formed to compare hazards.
2 Deaths caused by a hazard.
3 An environmental relationship to the risk must be established.
4 The long term impacts of hazard must be studied.

Accepted Answer

A) 1 only 
B) 2 only 
C) 3 only 
D) 4 only 
E) 1 and 4 
A) 1 only 
B) 2 only 
C) 3 only 
D) 4 only 
E) 1 and 4

Question 10

Which of the following statements about dose-response curves is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) A dose-response curve shows the effect of different doses of a toxicant on a population. 
B) Doses lower than the threshold level will have no measurable effect on organisms. 
C) The smaller the LD50, the more toxic the chemical. 
D) Studies of the dose-response curves of toxicants gives us assurance that for all chemicals there is a threshold level of the chemical so small amounts of chemical pollution pose no health risks 
A) A dose-response curve shows the effect of different doses of a toxicant on a population. 
B) Doses lower than the threshold level will have no measurable effect on organisms. 
C) The smaller the LD50, the more toxic the chemical. 
D) Studies of the dose-response curves of toxicants gives us assurance that for all chemicals there is a threshold level of the chemical so small amounts of chemical pollution pose no health risks

Question 11

What are most of the POPs listed in the Stockholm Convention "Dirty Dozen" used for?

Accepted Answer

A) insecticides 
B) fungicides 
C) herbicides 
D) industrial solvents 
A) insecticides 
B) fungicides 
C) herbicides 
D) industrial solvents

Question 12

Acute toxicity:

Accepted Answer

A) is only caused by synthetic chemicals. 
B) is poorly understood by toxicologists. 
C) may mimic symptoms of chronic diseases. 
D) produces an effect within a short period of a single exposure. 
A) is only caused by synthetic chemicals. 
B) is poorly understood by toxicologists. 
C) may mimic symptoms of chronic diseases. 
D) produces an effect within a short period of a single exposure.

Question 13

What is the effect of pesticides like DDT on birds?

Accepted Answer

A) Pesticides like DDT bioaccumulate in the tissues and cause infertility in the females. 
B) DDT bioaccumulates and causes females to lay eggs with very thin shells that break during the incubation period killing the chicks. 
C) Birds like the bald eagle have the highest concentration of DDT because they are at the top of the food chain. 
D) b & c 
A) Pesticides like DDT bioaccumulate in the tissues and cause infertility in the females. 
B) DDT bioaccumulates and causes females to lay eggs with very thin shells that break during the incubation period killing the chicks. 
C) Birds like the bald eagle have the highest concentration of DDT because they are at the top of the food chain. 
D) b & c

Question 14

The most common method of determining whether a chemical causes cancer is to expose groups of laboratory animals, such as rats, to various large doses and count how many animals develop cancer at the different levels. All of the following are problems with this approach in terms of understanding the health risks to humans EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A) This method is indirect and uncertain as human and rats are different organisms and may respond differently to exposure to the same chemical. 
B) For expediting the research process, in lab settings rats are exposed to massive doses of suspected carcinogens relative to body size whereas humans are usually exposed to much lower amounts. 
C) For ethical reasons, rats in lab settings are given very small doses of suspected carcinogens relative to body size whereas humans are usually exposed to much higher amounts 
D) Risk assessment assumes that we can extrapolate from studies in rats to determine the expected rates of cancer in humans but extrapolating from one species to another and from one dose level to another is uncertain and may overestimate or underestimate a toxicant's danger. 
A) This method is indirect and uncertain as human and rats are different organisms and may respond differently to exposure to the same chemical. 
B) For expediting the research process, in lab settings rats are exposed to massive doses of suspected carcinogens relative to body size whereas humans are usually exposed to much lower amounts. 
C) For ethical reasons, rats in lab settings are given very small doses of suspected carcinogens relative to body size whereas humans are usually exposed to much higher amounts 
D) Risk assessment assumes that we can extrapolate from studies in rats to determine the expected rates of cancer in humans but extrapolating from one species to another and from one dose level to another is uncertain and may overestimate or underestimate a toxicant's danger.

Question 15

Pollutants that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones are called:

Accepted Answer

A) radioisotopes 
B) synergists 
C) stimulants 
D) endocrine disrupters 
A) radioisotopes 
B) synergists 
C) stimulants 
D) endocrine disrupters

Question 16

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This statement is the heart of the

Accepted Answer

A) remedial principle. 
B) exposure principle 
C) persistence principle. 
D) precautionary principle. 
A) remedial principle. 
B) exposure principle 
C) persistence principle. 
D) precautionary principle.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about carcinogens is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) Cancer was traditionally the main disease evaluated in the chemical risk assessment of environmental contaminants. 
B) In lab studies, rats and mice often respond differently to the same carcinogen. 
C) It is assumed that one can extrapolate from doses and cancer rates in rats to determine human cancer rates. 
D) No false statement, all of the above are true 
A) Cancer was traditionally the main disease evaluated in the chemical risk assessment of environmental contaminants. 
B) In lab studies, rats and mice often respond differently to the same carcinogen. 
C) It is assumed that one can extrapolate from doses and cancer rates in rats to determine human cancer rates. 
D) No false statement, all of the above are true

Question 18

The threshold level is the minimum dose that has no measurable effect.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Given the data in the accompanying table, which of the chemicals is the most toxic?

Accepted Answer

A) nicotine 
B) heroin 
C) morphine 
D) caffeine 
A) nicotine 
B) heroin 
C) morphine 
D) caffeine

Question 20

Which of the following controls the regulation of toxins in the environment in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A) United States Department of Agriculture 
B) Environmental Protection Agency 
C) United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
D) Environmental Working Group 
A) United States Department of Agriculture 
B) Environmental Protection Agency 
C) United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
D) Environmental Working Group

Why are public water supplies monitored for fecal coliform bacteria despite the fact that most strains of E. coli do not cause disease?

Which of the following statements about malaria is FALSE:

What is the precautionary principle? What are the advantages and potential challenges of such an approach? Identify one way in which this principle has created international controversy.

A dose-response curve shows:

A carcinogen is a:

Risk:

Define acute toxicity and explain how it is different from chronic toxicity? Use the example of pesticides to highlight the differences between the forms of toxicity.

Which of the following was the banning of hormone treated and GMO fed beef by the European Union based upon?

Which of the following is required to adequately quantify risk using a risk assessment? 1 Comparison groups must be formed to compare hazards. 2 Deaths caused by a hazard. 3 An environmental relationship to the risk must be established. 4 The long term impacts of hazard must be studied.

Which of the following statements about dose-response curves is FALSE?

What are most of the POPs listed in the Stockholm Convention "Dirty Dozen" used for?

Acute toxicity:

What is the effect of pesticides like DDT on birds?

Pollutants that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones are called:

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This statement is the heart of the

Which of the following statements about carcinogens is FALSE?

The threshold level is the minimum dose that has no measurable effect.

Given the data in the accompanying table, which of the chemicals is the most toxic?

Which of the following controls the regulation of toxins in the environment in the United States?

The Environmental Challenges We Face

Sustainability and Human Values

Environmental History, Politics, and Economics

How Ecosystems Work

Ecosystems and Evolution

Human Population Change and the Environment

Air and Air Pollution

Global Atmospheric Changes

Freshwater Resources and Water Pollution

The Ocean and Fisheries

Mineral and Soil Resources

Land Resources

Agriculture and Food Resources

Biodiversity and Conservation

Solid and Hazardous Waste

Nonrenewable Energy Resources

Renewable Energy Resources

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Exam 4: Risk Analysis and Environmental Health Hazards

Why are public water supplies monitored for fecal coliform bacteria despite the fact that most strains of E. coli do not cause disease?

Which of the following statements about malaria is FALSE:

What is the precautionary principle? What are the advantages and potential challenges of such an approach? Identify one way in which this principle has created international controversy.

A dose-response curve shows:

A carcinogen is a:

Risk:

Define acute toxicity and explain how it is different from chronic toxicity? Use the example of pesticides to highlight the differences between the forms of toxicity.

Which of the following was the banning of hormone treated and GMO fed beef by the European Union based upon?

Which of the following is required to adequately quantify risk using a risk assessment? 1 Comparison groups must be formed to compare hazards. 2 Deaths caused by a hazard. 3 An environmental relationship to the risk must be established. 4 The long term impacts of hazard must be studied.

Which of the following statements about dose-response curves is FALSE?

What are most of the POPs listed in the Stockholm Convention "Dirty Dozen" used for?

Acute toxicity:

What is the effect of pesticides like DDT on birds?

Pollutants that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones are called:

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This statement is the heart of the

Which of the following statements about carcinogens is FALSE?

The threshold level is the minimum dose that has no measurable effect.

Given the data in the accompanying table, which of the chemicals is the most toxic?

Which of the following controls the regulation of toxins in the environment in the United States?

The Environmental Challenges We Face

Sustainability and Human Values

Environmental History, Politics, and Economics

How Ecosystems Work

Ecosystems and Evolution

Human Population Change and the Environment

Air and Air Pollution

Global Atmospheric Changes

Freshwater Resources and Water Pollution

The Ocean and Fisheries

Mineral and Soil Resources

Land Resources

Agriculture and Food Resources

Biodiversity and Conservation

Solid and Hazardous Waste

Nonrenewable Energy Resources

Renewable Energy Resources

Filters