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Chapter Sixteen:
The Environment and
Your Health
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Environment
Range of conditions
that can influence
your health:
– Availability of
resources
– Physical conditions
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Temperature
Humidity
Toxins
Allergens
Pathogens
Noise
Radiation
– Other organisms
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Environmental Problems and Solutions
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Personal Environment
• Home
• Neighborhood
• Workplace
• Health concerns of personal
environment:
– Indoor air quality
– Drinking water
– Endocrine disrupters
– Noise
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Indoor Air Quality: Health Risks
• Carbon monoxide
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Odorless, colorless byproduct of combustion
Effects range from mild discomfort to death
Keep appliances in working order
Install a carbon monoxide detector
• Volatile organic compounds (paint, paint
stripper, solvents)
– Effects range from eye irritation in the short term
to organ and nerve damage in the long term
– Minimize use of products
– Use and dispose of properly
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Indoor Air Quality: Health Risks (cont.)
• Tobacco smoke
– Increases risk for respiratory problems
and cancer
– Reduce exposure
• Asbestos (building material)
– Minerals with a fibrous crystal structure
– Causes lung damage and cancer if
inhaled
– Leave undamaged asbestos-containing
materials alone
– Hire qualified professional to remove
damaged asbestos
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Indoor Air Quality: Health Risks (cont.)
• Lead
– Toxic metal used in house paint, as gasoline
additive, in plumbing solder
– Causes organ damage, delayed physical and
mental development, and death
– Replace lead-based paints and test tap water in
older houses
• Biological pollutants (bacteria, molds,
mildew, viruses, dust mites, plant pollen and
other allergens)
– Minimize exposure by keeping your home clean,
dry, and free of mold and sources of allergens
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Indoor Air Quality: Health Risks (cont.)
• Radon
– Naturally occurring radioactive gas emitted
during uranium decay in soil, rock, water
– Causes lung cancer
– Test homes and install a radon reduction
system if needed
• Nonionizing (electromagnetic)
radiation
– Cannot break chemical bonds but may
excite electrons or heat biological materials
– Effects still under study
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Drinking Water
• Source of water supply
– Safety of drinking water is affected by
environmental factors in home and community
– Water supply is typically from ground water (rural)
or river/lakes (urban)
• Drinking water contaminants
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Agricultural fertilizers
Pathogens from home septic systems
Contaminants from underwater fuel storage tanks
Lead, copper, PVC from pipes
• Taking action
– Private water supplies should be tested annually
– If needed, contact your local health department
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Endocrine Disrupters
• Dangerous pollutants
– Dioxin, PCBs, DT
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Pesticides
Herbicides
Antiseptics
Chemicals used in manufacturing
plastics
– Phthalates, bisphenol A
• Teflon
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Noise
• Defined as any undesirable sound
• Health effects are dependent upon
intensity, frequency, and nature of
the noise
– Anxiety, frustration
– Inability to concentrate, reduced
productivity
– Anger, stress
– Long-term hearing loss can occur at noise
levels of 120 decibels
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Community and Regional Environment
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Air pollution
Water pollution
Land pollution
Loss of green space
Ionizing radiation
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Air Pollution
• Sources
– Internal combustion engines
– Oil refineries, chemical production
• Health effects
– Carbon monoxide
• Impaired respiration
– Nitrogen and sulfur oxides
• Lung tissue damage
• Respiratory effects
– Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Cancer
• Fetal effects
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Air Pollution (cont.)
– Tropospheric ozone (“smog”)
• Lung damage
• Reduced lung capacity
• Health risk to those who suffer from asthma,
emphysema, or heart disease
– Air toxics
• Cancer
• Reduced fertility, birth defects
• Taking Action
– Check information on local air quality
• Avoid outdoor activities during alerts
– Limit personal contribution
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Exposure to Unhealthy Air
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Water Pollution
• Sources
– Point sources (e.g., sewer
overflow)
– Urban and agricultural runoff
• Types
– Biological water pollutants
• Disease-causing organisms from
human or animal sewage
– Toxic pollutants
• Naturally occurring elements
• Industrial and agricultural activities
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Water Pollution (cont.)
• Health effects
– Biological pollutants cause diarrhea,
hepatitis, cholera, and other diseases
– Toxic chemicals cause cancer, organ
damage, infertility, and birth defects
• Taking action
– Read annual water quality reports for your
area
– Avoid eating contaminated fish
– Pay attention to “don’t swim” warnings
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Land Pollution
• Sources
– Municipal solid waste
– Sewage sludge
• Disposal
– Sanitary landfill
– Incineration
• Taking action—Three Rs:
– Reduce
– Reuse
– Recycle
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Loss of Green Space
• Urban development
– Increases commute time
– Decreases physical activity, increases
rates of overweight/obesity
– Reduces quality of life
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Ionizing Radiation
• Sources
– Medical X-rays
– Naturally occurring radioactive minerals
– Nuclear reactors and waste products
– Nuclear bomb explosions
• Health Effects
– Organ damage
– Birth defects
– Death
• Challenge of nuclear waste disposal
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Global Environment
• Atmosphere, oceans, continental
land masses, and all living
organisms that exist on Earth
• Concerns
– Human population explosion
– Global climate change
– Stratospheric ozone depletion
– Loss of natural habitats and species
extinction
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Human Population Growth
• Effects
– Resource depletion and starvation
– Habitat destruction
– Political tensions, terrorism, and war
(competition for limited resources)
• Reducing population growth
– Increase infant survival
– Provide education opportunities for girls
– Provide universal access to birth control
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Human Population Growth
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Global Climate Change
• Greenhouse gases
– Trap heat radiated from the earth; increase
global temperature
– Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
tropospheric ozone, water vapor
• Effects of climate change
– Coastal flooding
– Increased frequency and severity of
destructive weather events
– Expanded range of disease-carrying insects
– Decreased air and water quality
– Decreased food availability
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Global Climate Change (cont.)
• Taking action
– Conserve electricity
– Drive fuel-efficient vehicles
– Use mass transit
– Reduce, reuse, recycle
– Purchase energy-efficient appliances
– Vote, volunteer
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
• Ozone layer of upper atmosphere
protects surface of Earth from
harmful UV radiation
• Causes of depletion
– Human-made air pollutants, especially
CFCs
• Effects
– Skin cancer, cataracts, weakened
immunity, reduced crop yields
• Taking action
– Have refrigerators and air-conditioning
systems serviced by licensed technicians
who can properly dispose of old CFCs
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Loss of Habitat and Species Extinction
• Causes
– Population growth
– New technologies
• Health effects
– Loss of genetic diversity and possible drug
treatments
– Degradation of overall environment and its ability
to support life
– Lessened emotional, psychological, and spiritual
well-being
• Taking action
– Conserve energy
– Reduce, reuse, recycle
– “Buy green”
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Chapter Sixteen:
The Environment and
Your Health
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.