Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Students are introduced to the major environmental toxicants, their sources, and interactions with terrestrial and aquatic environments. Through historical and current case studies of environmental toxicants, this course will provide an understanding of the basic principles of environmental toxicology particularly as they apply to populations, communities and ecosystems.

COURSE DETAILS:

Course Description:

Environmental toxicology is the study of the impacts of environmental toxicants on the health of living organisms and the environment. Environmental toxicants/pollutants are agents released into the general environment that can cause adverse effects on the health of biota and alter the natural environment. Although environmental toxicants exist in the natural environment, the current environmental toxicants of concern globally are produced by humans.  With unprecedented human population growth underway, environmental toxicants are expected to increase and the contributions of environmental toxicologists to the enhancement of environmental quality and ecosystem health has become increasingly recognized. This course will cover the major environmental toxicants, their sources, and interactions with terrestrial and aquatic environments.  In addition, through historical and current case studies of environmental toxicants, this course will provide an understanding of the basic principles of environmental toxicology particularly as they apply to populations, communities and ecosystems.

Course Objectives:

 

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Describe the major classes of environmental toxicants/pollutants in air, land and water.
2. Explain the chemical properties that determine the fate and transport of environmental toxicants in the environment.
3. Evaluate data derived from the measures used to determine the effects of environmental toxicants at the population, community and ecosystem levels of biological organization.
4. Integrate the knowledge acquired throughout the course to discuss current global environmental pollution issues, and their consequences at the population, community and ecosystem level.

 

Tentative Lecture Schedule:

Week 1	Introduction to environmental toxicology – basic principles
Week 2	Defining, quantifying and measuring ecotoxicological effects
Week 3	Defining, quantifying and measuring ecotoxicological effects
Week 4	Overview of the major classes of environmental toxicants/pollutants (sources, environmental chemistry and fate, ecotoxicological effects) Assignment #1
Week 5	Environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of municipal wastewater Case study: Metro Vancouver sewage contaminants
Week 6	Environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of pesticides Case study: neonicotinoids Midterm Exam I
Week 7	Environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of industrial wastewater Case study: pulp mill effluent
Week 8	Introduction to endocrine disrupting substances in the environment and ecotoxicological effects Case studies: pesticides, industrial and municipal wastes   Assignment #2
Week 9	Introduction to endocrine disrupting substances in the environment and ecotoxicological effects Case Studies continued Midterm Exam II
Week 10	Environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of metals  Case study: Britannia metal mine
Week 11	Environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of metals  Case study: HVC/Mount Polley metal mine
Week 12	Environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of hydrocarbons  / Case study: Alberta oil sands Midterm exam III
Week 13	Emerging Contaminants – E.g. Microplastics,  VOCs & greenhouse gases Assignment #3

 

Grading

Materials

RECOMMENDED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: