ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

CHAPTER 8
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND TOXICOLOGY
 CHAPTER 8
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND TOXICOLOGY
Definitions of Environmental Health

Environmental health is the science and practice of preventing human

injury and illness and promoting well-being by identifying and evaluating
environmental sources and hazardous agents and limiting exposures to
hazardous physical, chemical, and biological agents in air, water, soil, food,
and other environmental media or settings that may adversely affect human
health.

Definition of an Environmental Health Professional or Specialist

An environmental health professional or specialist is a practitioner with

appropriate academic education and training and registration or certification to
investigate, sample, measure, and assess hazardous environmental agents in
various environmental media and settings; recommend and apply protective
interventions that control hazards to health; develop, promote, and enforce
guidelines, policies, laws, and regulations; develop and provide health
communications and educational materials; manage and lead environmental
health units within organizations; perform systems analysis; engage
community members to understand, address, and resolve problems; review
construction and land use plans and make recommendations; interpret
research utilizing science and evidence to understand the relationship between
health and environment; and interpret data and prepare technical summaries
and reports.

8 Environmental Factors that Affect Health

From the quality of the air you breathe to the condition of the roads you
drive on, environmental factors can have a major influence on your health?
What’s more, these factors have evolved considerably over time, due to both
natural and human-caused events.

Professionals in the environmental health field examine how people

interact with the world around them, chronicling the many ways that these
interactions can impact physical fitness, vulnerability to disease, and other
aspects of human wellness.

In this article, we will explore eight key environmental factors that affect
health:

 Chemical safety
 Air pollution
 Climate change and natural disasters
 Diseases caused by microbes
 Lack of access to health care
 Infrastructure issues
 Poor water quality
 Global environmental issues
 Why Is Environmental Health Important?
Through strategic efforts to improve environmental health, public health
professionals can enhance personal wellness for individuals, families, and
communities.

The Benefits of Optimizing Environmental Health

Maintaining a healthy environment is essential for helping people live
longer and for enhancing their quality of life. Consider a sobering statistic from
Healthy People, which notes that 23% of all deaths (and 26% of deaths among
children ages 5 and younger) result from entirely preventable environmental
health problems.
By optimizing environmental health, communities can reduce exposure
to disease, as well as to pollutants that have a toxic effect on the body. The
benefits of environmental health interventions can improve life for everyone,
but may have the most pronounced effect among those who are already in
vulnerable health. As Healthy People points out, “Poor environmental quality
has its greatest impact on people whose health status is already at risk.”

How Environmental Factors Can Impact Personal Health?

Environmental health advocacy is a top priority in the public health field,
as environmental factors continue to adversely affect individual and population
health.

For example, consider the looming threat of climate change.

Environmental health researchers say that climate change may result in
changed disease patterns, making communities susceptible to different
illnesses. Additionally, climate change has been linked to an uptick in floods,
wildfires, and super storms, all of which can play profound roles in harming
human health.

Poor industrial hygiene is another example of how environmental factors

can impact wellness. As Very well Health notes, “Many of the materials needed
to advance industries and technology, like heavy metals or even some plastics,
can also hurt the human body and even lead to serious medical conditions.” In
other words, industries that are irresponsible with manufacturing and waste
disposal may be poisoning the natural world, impacting our physical well-
being.

Environmental Health as a Community Health Concern

Environmental health isn’t just a matter of individual wellness; it’s also a
matter of community well-being. Simply put, the conditions in and around our
homes, schools, playgrounds, and workplaces can have a major impact on our
families and neighbors.

For example, factors such as pollution and litter can make residents less
inclined to go outside for exercise and recreation, potentially making the entire
community more prone to disease.

Aspects of the built environment, such as infrastructure, can also impact

community health. For instance, areas with poorly maintained roads have
higher risks of car accidents that result in injuries, and inadequate sanitation
infrastructure can increase the prevalence of disease in local populations.

Environmental Health Resources

To find out more about the importance of environmental health, take a
look at the following resources:

 World Health Organization, Environmental Health — an overview of some of

the issues that relate to environmental health.
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental
Health — A range of resources related to environmental health.


It’s not only important to strive for optimal environmental health. It’s
also beneficial, both for individuals and their surrounding communities. Some
of the benefits include: cleaner air quality, cleaner water, reduced hazardous
waste, increased access to healthy foods, safer outdoor environments for adults
and children, improved population health, and improved health equity.

The 8 Environmental Factors That Can Impact Your Health

A number of specific environmental issues can impede human health
and wellness. These issues include chemical pollution, air pollution, climate
change, disease-causing microbes, lack of access to health care, poor
infrastructure, and poor water quality.

1. Chemical Safety
Different chemicals can impact human health in different ways, and
often, exposure to dangerous or foreign substances creates health
vulnerabilities. The chemical safety field is concerned with minimizing the
effects of both natural and synthetic chemicals. More specifically, chemical
safety seeks to safeguard human and environmental health from exposure to
potential toxins; it focuses on chemicals that exist in the ambient world, as well
as synthetic chemicals that are used in industrial processes or are the by-
products of manufacturing activity.

Public health officials who work in chemical safety often focus on

toxicology, which is the study of substances that have a toxic effect on the
human body, whether when ingested or when absorbed through natural
surroundings. Another important aspect of public health is chemical risk
assessment, which involves scientists and clinicians working to determine a
substance’s full biological effects.

This is a critical field of public health: According to the World Health

Organization (WHO), more than 1.6 million deaths in 2016 were due to
exposure to selected chemicals. Some examples of dangerous chemicals in the
environment are heavy metals and toxins that find their way into the water
supply and harmful pesticides that make their way into the food supply chain.
 2. Air Pollution
Studies have shown that air pollution effects on humans are a significant
public health concern, not only because of their role in climate change, but
also because exposure to air pollution can increase morbidity and mortality.

When environmental scientists talk about air pollution, they’re

describing any solid or liquid particles, as well as gases, that are suspended in
the air and have harmful or poisonous effects. When we think about air
pollution, we tend to think in terms of human-caused pollutants, and rightly
so: Some of the most dangerous and ubiquitous examples of air pollution
include car and truck exhaust, as well as polluting by-products of industrial
processes. However, many natural air pollutants can cause health concerns;
for example, pollen and mold spores are often linked with asthma and allergies.

According to the WHO, air pollution effects on humans are significant.

For example, air pollution causes:
 29% of all global deaths from lung disease
 24% of all global deaths from stroke
 17 % of all global deaths and disease from acute lower respiratory infection.

3. Climate Change and Natural Disasters

Another environmental issue with serious ramifications for human
health is climate change, along with the increase in natural disasters that has
accompanied the shift in Earth’s climate. The National Environmental Health
Association lists climate change as the single biggest human health threat of
the 21st century.
Climate change disrupts the natural world in a number of ways that can
impede health and increase vulnerability to disease; these include increases in
the planet’s temperature and more frequent heavy rains and runoff. The
various impacts may result in greater vulnerability to nervous and respiratory
diseases, diarrhea, and more.

Additionally, climate change increases the frequency of natural disasters,

often having a ravenous effect on homes and communities and sometimes
resulting in loss of life. Wildfires, hurricanes, cyclones, and droughts are just a
few examples.

4. Diseases Caused by Microbes

Diseases caused by microbes — also known as microorganisms —
present another area of public health concern. Trillions of microbes exist within
the human body, and they also live in water, soil, and air. Most of them have
no negative health effects, and many microbes perform important biological
functions, such as supporting digestive and immune health, according to the
National Human Genome Research Institute. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi are
types of microbes.
Harmful microbes, which are more commonly called pathogens or germs,
can infect humans and cause illness. Eating is one of the primary ways in
which humans can contract diseases caused by microbes. One example is food
poisoning from E. coli, a type of bacteria that can be found in the environment
and in foods, and which can cause respiratory illness, urinary tract infections,
and other adverse health effects.
There are also a number of harmful microbes that live in the soil.
Humans can come into contact with them by ingesting them (through
contaminated food) or through inhaling them (through soil particles in the
air). Tetanus and botulism are examples of diseases caused by soil-borne
microbes.

5. Lack of Access to Health Care
Another environmental factor that contributes to disease and overall poor
health outcomes is living in an area with a lack of access to health care
services.

According to Healthy People, “Many people face barriers that prevent or

limit access to needed health care services, which may increase the risk of poor
health outcomes and health disparities.” Some factors that contribute to lack of
access to health care are economic instability, unreliable transportation to
clinical facilities, and simple lack of education about the importance of
preventive care.
Individuals who don’t have access to health care services (including
pharmaceuticals as well as dental care) are at a higher risk for chronic
conditions, which may include asthma, cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.

6. Infrastructure Issues
Infrastructure issues can also have a major impact on community health.
Examples include the following:

 Poorly maintained roads (increasing risk of car accidents)

 Lack of access to clean drinking water
 Lack of local health care infrastructure, such as clinics capable of giving
vaccinations
 Overcoming poor infrastructure requires the right allocation of resources
from local, state, and federal governments, as well as a qualified
workforce to keep infrastructure properly maintained.

7. Poor Water Quality

Very well Health reports that across the world, more than 780 million
people don’t have access to clean drinking water; shockingly, about a third of
the world’s population lacks access to proper sanitation services (e.g., clean
bathrooms). The health implications are sobering: Each day, more than 2,200
children die due to diseases caused by poor water quality.
A number of factors can contribute to poor water quality, including
industrial waste and pollution, lack of access to proper water treatment and
sanitation services, and outdated plumbing infrastructure.

8. Global Environmental Issues

Global environmental issues account for more than 12.6 million deaths
each year, according to WHO data. Along with the issues mentioned here, these
can include soil pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and biodiversity loss. According
to the data, more than 100 illnesses and injuries can be directly linked to
environmental health concerns. Often, these issues have the greatest impact
on communities that are poor and already have significant health care
vulnerabilities.

Here are some environmental

health careers with job duties
and median annual salaries:
environmental science and
protection technician —
$46,540: monitors
environment and investigates
pollution sources;
occupational health and safety
specialist — $70,480: analyzes
work environments and work
procedures; environmental
scientist — $71,360: protects environment via observation and policy
advisement; health and safety engineer — $91,410: develops procedures and
systems designed to protect environments.

How Environmental Health Professionals Can Help Optimize Health

Many different career paths exist in which environmental health professionals
can help steward the natural world in a way that contributes to human well-
being.

Environmental Science and Protection Technician

Environmental science and protection technicians monitor the
environment and seek ways to minimize the entry of pollutants, hazardous
wastes, and contaminants. Essential skills include analytical thinking,
problem-solving abilities, and observation skills. According to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for environmental science
and protection technicians was $46,540 in 2019, and the job market is
expected to grow by a faster-than-average 8% through 2029.

Environmental Scientist
An environmental scientist gathers data and monitors environmental
factors that may have an impact on human health. Technical skills, analytical
thinking, and critical thinking are all essential to this position. According to
BLS data, these environmental health professionals made a median annual
salary of $71,360 in 2019, and the job market is projected to grow by 8%
through 2029.

Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

Occupational health and safety specialists help create, implement, and
enforce policies that keep employees safe in the workplace; their work is
especially crucial in industrial settings, where volatile chemicals or pollutants
may be common. These individuals require communication skills, analytical
thinking abilities, and interpersonal skills. BLS data reports that the median
annual income for occupational health and safety specialists was $70,480 in
2019, with a projected job growth rate of around 4% through 2029 (equal to
the average for all jobs).

Health and Safety Engineer

The health and safety engineer’s role is to design systems that help
promote health and prevent injury. The role may involve designing buildings,
machinery, or consumer technologies. Technical engineering competencies are
mandatory. The BLS reports that the median annual salary for health and
safety engineers was $91,410 in 2019, with a projected job growth rate of 4%
through 2029.

Environmental Health Education and Advocacy

Public health professionals are on the front lines of informing the public
about the environmental factors that impact personal health, community well-
being, and quality of life on a daily basis.

Through educational outreach and advocacy, they inspire individuals and

communities to take actions that help safeguard their local environments,
protect their families’ health, and support policies that promote environmental
stewardship.

What is Toxicology?

Technological and scientific advancements have been responsible for the

creation of thousands of new chemical compounds, many of which have the
potential to pose a threat to human health. Toxicology, a field that shifted from
an empirical science to a volumetric science with the emergence of chemistry in
the nineteenth century, seeks to understand the effects these compounds have
on the world around us — in the environment, human body, and beyond.

Toxicology is the study of the effects of chemical, biological, and

physical agents on living organisms, particularly humans. Scientists and
researchers working in this field measure and analyze substances, particles,
pollutants, and bacterium to determine the potential threats they pose to
humans and other living organisms. Public health practitioners rely on
toxicologists to measures what we cannot see and inform us of the hidden
dangers that pose serious threats to health and well-being.

Toxicology is critical in determining the materials, substances, and

ingredients that can and cannot be used across a variety of sectors, including
medicine, construction, and air and water quality control. Toxicologists can
determine the proper dosage and safe exposure limits of any questionable
substances exposed to the living world.

Through combining chemistry, biology, environmental science, and

pharmacology, toxicology is truly multi-disciplinary and a critical area of public
health that works to combat negative health outcomes across large swaths of
populations.

TYPES OF TOXICOLOGY SCIENCES

There are multiple concentrations that exist under the broader umbrella of
toxicology. A few types include:

Forensic Toxicology

By bringing the scientific methods of toxicology together with research in

legal contexts, forensic toxicologists play an integral role in criminal cases and
are often used to help determine a cause of death or more generally to examine
the role that substances played in a crime or death.

In addition, forensic toxicology is also used to drug-test individuals,

whether it's in office settings, legal cases, or sports leagues. Forensic
toxicologists not only conduct research and take tests, but they also use their
findings to interpret results and collaborate with larger forensic teams and law
enforcement agencies.

Environmental Toxicology

Environmental toxicology relates to how substances—man-made and/or

natural—interact with the world and our surrounding environment, which
includes interpreting possible adverse human health effects due to exposure to
environmental toxicants.

Those who specialize in this area can be found working in environmental

regulation, management, and hazardous waste. They also cover emerging
trends in environmental hazards, such as micro-plastics or increased mercury
levels in fish.

Medical Toxicology

Through exploring the effects that drugs and medical procedures have on
humans, medical toxicologists uncover the adverse effects of medical
treatments and establish proper dosage and exposure guidelines for
substances. They typically work in areas such as drug abuse, chemical
exposures, poison or envenomation’s (venom from an animal bite or sting), and
more.
CAREERS IN TOXICOLOGY
Toxicologists work in a variety of settings and concentrations, including:

Government Agencies
Some toxicologists work in local, regional, or federal government agencies
to aid in the regulation of substances in relation to the greater public. In this
setting, they work with lawmakers to create legislation and methods for
minimizing exposure to harmful substances.

Academia and Research

As global human activity impacts the environment, toxicology
researchers are always in demand, as are qualified professionals to teach the
next generation of toxicologists.

Toxicologists who pursue a career in research and teaching help build on

the profession and produce important, up-to-date findings on harmful
substances.

Medicine
Toxicologists play a critical role in the field of medicine, where they work
on the development of new drugs or treatments to determine their safety and
regulated use. Medical toxicologists in hospital emergency departments also
work directly with patients who have been exposed to unsafe levels of toxins.

Professional Organizations or Industries

Some organizations are more directly involved in studying harmful
substances than others. In this case, toxicologists are employed to help
determine operational and product safety for all involved. For businesses
whose work directly affects the environment or chemical production,
toxicologists work to keep the company in line with compliance and safety
measures.

Importance of Toxicology
Toxicology provides critical information and knowledge that can be used
by regulatory agencies, decision makers, and others to put programs and
policies in place to limit our exposures to these substances, thereby preventing
or reducing the likelihood that a disease or other negative health outcome
would occur.