Environmental Toxicology

Paper Code: 
ENV 501
Credits: 
3
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

Course Objectives:

This course will enable the students to –

  1. Make students familiar with the basic principles of environmental toxicology, including aspects of exposure, toxicity and risk assessment of chemicals in the environment.
  2. Gain skills for assessing the toxico-kinetics and toxicity of pollutants in biological and environmental systems

Course Outcomes (COs):

 

Course

Course outcome

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

ENV 501

 

Environmental Toxicology

Upon completion of this course, students will:

CO49: Differentiate the natural and anthropogenic sources of toxicants in the environment

CO50: Judge the mechanisms causing toxicity of chemicals in human and environmental components

CO51: Develop skills to remediate the problem of environmental toxicity

CO52: Develop the various sustainable methods for environmental remediation

Approach in teaching:

Explicit teaching, Interactive Lectures, Group Discussions, Use of informative videos

Learning activities for the students:

Preparation of notes by using reference books, Power point presentations, Weekly class assessment

Power point presentations,

Assignments, Class Test, Semester end examinations

 

 

 

 

7.00
Unit I: 
Introduction, Scope and Importance of Toxicology
  • Areas and Branches of toxicology
  • Scope and importance
  • Types of toxicants
  • Molecular and biochemical effects of toxicants
10.00
Unit II: 
Basic concept of Toxicology
  • Dose of Toxicants
  • Effect and response – (acute effects, chronic effects, reversible and irreversible effects and local and systemic effects)
  • Dose response relationship – (graded and quantal response)
  • Absorption, Distribution and Excretion (Basic concept)
  • Bioaccumulation of Xenobiotics
10.00
Unit III: 
Transport and Fate of Toxicants in the Environment

·        Sources of Toxicants to the Environment

·        Transport Processes

o   Advection

o   Diffusion

·        Transformation Processes

o   Reversible Reactions (Ionization, Precipitation and Dissolution, Complexation and Chemical Speciation)

.        Irreversible Reactions (Hydrolysis, Photolysis, Oxidation-Reduction reactions, Biotransformations)

9.00
Unit IV: 
Toxicity of Metals
  • Sources and toxic effects on humans of
    • Arsenic
    •    Lead
    • Cadmium
    • Mercury
  • Toxicity of Pesticides: Organochlorines and Organophosphates Insecticides

 

9.00
Unit V: 
Food Additives and Contaminants
  • Incidental or indirect additives
  • Intentional or direct additives
    • Antioxidants
    • Emulsifiers
    • Flavouring Agents
    • Colour and preservatives
  • Food Toxins
    • Microbial toxins-algal, fungal and bacterial toxins
    • Plant toxins

 

Essential Readings: 
  • Casarett, & Doull’s. (2008). Toxicology: The Basic Science Of Poisons (7th Ed.). New York: Mcgraw-Hill.
  • Helferich, W., & Winter, C. K. (2001). Food Toxicology. Crc Press.
  • Hodgson, E. (2010). A Textbook Of Modern Toxicology. A John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Pandey, K., Shukla, J. P., & Trivedi, S. P. (2011). Fundamentals Of Toxicology. New Central Book Agency.
  • Sharma, P. (2005). Environmental Biology And Toxicology. Meerut: Rastogi Publication.
  • Shaw, I., & Chadwick, J. ( 1998). Prinicples Of Environmental Toxicology. Taylor & Francis Ltd.
  • Wright, D. A., & Welbourn, P. (2002). Environmental Toxicology. New York: Cambridge University Press.

 

Academic Year: 
2021-2022
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