75590 - Environmental Toxicology and Toxicological Chemistry

Learning outcomes

During the course, students will be introduced to the chemical and mechanistic aspects of the main toxic substances. Furthermore, an overview of different aspects playing a role in the field of environmental toxicology will be provided. Students are expected to gain a sound knowledge and understanding of important aspects of both environmental toxicology and toxicological chemistry, including: the concepts and terminology; the nature and reactivity of toxic substances; the kinetics of chemicals in the environment; sources and types of environmental pollutants; the interaction with the different biological targets; the basic principles governing fate and effects of toxic substances on the homeostasis of biological systems and ecosystem processes and stability; the relevance of compound, ecosystem and organism characteristics for the consequences of environmental contamination; environmental biomonitoring; environmental risk assessment.

Course contents

Course I - ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY (15 hours)

1) Introduction to inorganic and organic chemistry

2) Metabolic Processes

3) Metabolic Reactions of Xenobiotic Compounds

4) Environmental Biological Processes

5) Biochemical Mechanisms of Toxicity

6) Toxic Elements

7) Toxic Inorganic Compounds

8) Toxic Organic Compounds

9) Toxic Natural Products

Course II - ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY (15 hours)

History and scope of Toxicology; agents of toxicity, morphological, functional and biochemical modifications induced by environmental pollutants.

Threshold values, safety factors, no-threshold effects. Risk assessment. LOEL, LOAEL, NOEL, NOAEL, NEL, ADI.

Limit values for industrial toxicants, emission of harmful substances into the environment.

Toxic effect modulation by food.

Ecotoxicology: the mechanism of action of environmental toxicants, damage level evaluation.

General principles on the risk analysis from environmental pollutants.

Readings/Bibliography

Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The basic science of poisons (by C.D. Klaassen), 8th Edition, Mc Graw-Hill, 2013.

Wallace Hayes A. Principles and methods of Toxicology, 6th Edition, CRC Press, 2014.

Teaching methods

Traditional. This course does not include laboratory training.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist in an oral test aimed at assessing the student's understanding and knowledge of the topics set out during the course. The examination consists of an interview focusing on two modules which cannot be split and must therefore be dealt with within one exam. The marks obtained for each interview, in proportion to the number of credits, contribute to the final grade of thirty. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the course and the use of an appropriate specific terminology will be assessed with a mark of excellence.

Teaching tools

Slides are usually used to enhance clarity during courses. The materials used will be uploaded to the website http://campus.cib.unibo.it. Username and password are reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Carmela Fimognari

See the website of Andrea Milelli