Learning objectives
Through the attendance of lectures and study of the material, the student will acquire knowledge of the basic principles of industrial toxicology necessary to deal with the situations in general and work environment. At the end of the course the student is able to understand and apply the concepts of danger and risk associated with exposure to chemicals, toxicity of a chemical, know and understand the basic principles of toxicokinetics and mechanism of action of main classes of industrial toxic substances (metals and organic solvents) and the implications for planning prevention activities in the workplace and life. The student will learn the concepts of dose effect, Toxicokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) toxicodynamics (tissue / organ target, metabolic activation, mechanism of action, latency period) of industrial pollutants, the role of individual susceptibility in risk chemical. Learn the meaning of the reference values and the use of the Biological Exposure Indices (BEI, BLV).
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The General Toxicology module allows the student to learn the basic concepts of toxicology: the definition and scope of toxicology, the basis for the classification of a general toxic effect, dose / effect relationships and dose / response, extrapolation to low doses, the concepts of acute, subacute and chronic. The student will learn the general mechanisms of toxicity, the factors conditioning the toxic effects, the interaction between organism and toxic substance, the crossing of biological barriers, absorption, distribution and elimination pathways in the body of a toxic substance, the interaction with specific molecular targets, the deposition in storage sites in the body.
he modulus of Industrial Toxicology will know and understand the concepts of risk and risk factor, the determinants of hazard of a substance and the toxicity of the major compounds in industrial environments. It will provide basic knowledge on the routes of absorption of industrial pollutants in an employment context, also to the use of protective devices. The student will learn the meaning of biotransformation, biological factors and environmental variables and individual that modulate the absorption and toxic effects of chemicals. The student will be able to understand the underlying mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis, the significance of epigenetic carcinogenic and genotoxic carcinogens. The course will provide the elements to understand and apply the principles on risk chemical and toxicological risk assessment in general and work environment.
The third module covers the environmental and biological monitoring techniques, with particular reference to the choice of the most appropriate indicators, depending on the physical state of the pollutant, the toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of chemical agents, which are all important elements to identify the most appropriate sampling strategies.
Full programme
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Bibliography
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Teaching methods
The course is based on lectures with the use of visual aids and classroom discussion with students. During the lectures will highlight the peculiarities of each subject, and discussed general issues related to their application in occupational settings.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment of the achievement of the learning objectives of the course is via written test and an oral interview. The questions are structured so as to ascertain the knowledge and ability to understand the implications of the toxicity of the substances of industrial use, analyze the possible situations that may arise in a business context, in order to apply the knowledge in the field of prevention of the possible effects on the health and safety of workers. The student must demonstrate that they have acquired adequate knowledge and skills to discuss, analytically, the issues related to the prevention and protection of chemical risk.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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