Assignment: Toxicology

Do a quick search on Bisphenol A (BPA). Based on the findings in your search and the text discussion on BPA, what are your thoughts on the safety of BPA use in consumer products? Do you believe the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) position on BPA is valid? Why might the concern of BPA in baby products, such as bottles and pacifiers, be of greater concern than other products for the general population? Would you let your baby drink from a bottle with BPA?

Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.

1. Discuss the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). What was DDT initially used for, and how does it work as a pesticide? Explain the benefits of DDT, and then discuss how DDT moves through the environment.

2. A population of individuals was exposed to lead contamination in drinking water at the concentration of 27 parts per billion (ppb). The following represents a small sample set from the population indicating the level of response to the contaminant rated on a scale from 1â€"20. Within your response, please explain how you calculated your answer (1 indicating minimal effects and 20 indicating maximum effects to the lead exposure).

Given the data set 9, 12, 7, 15, 8, 9, 10, calculate the following results:

a. mean,

b. mode,

c. median, and

d. standard deviation.

3. A family goes fishing at a weekend getaway and has a fish fry with their catch. Several of the family members fall sick, and when they were screened in the emergency room, test results show that benzene was consumed by the family members. The fish that were consumed evidently came from a lake that was contaminated. The following data set represents the level of benzene (in micrograms) that each member consumed. Within your response, please explain how you calculated your answer.

Given the data set 215, 501, 305, 298, 345, 305, 465, calculate the results below:

a. mean,

b. mode,

c. median, and

d. standard deviation.

Your response should be at least 300 words in length.

4. Explain the difference between pollution and contamination. Discuss a specific environmental pollutant that has had a negative effect on the environment. How did the pollutant affect the environment? How was the pollutant introduced and transferred throughout the environment?