Deck 6: Toxicology

Question 1

Allergens interfere by activating the

A)circulatory system
B)gastro-intestinal system
C)immune system
D)none of these

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Biomagnification shows that the concentrations of some toxins increase

A)going up the food chain, e.g., minnows to pelicans
B)going down the food chain, e.g., pelicans to minnows
C)vary, but not according to any discernible pattern
D)none of these

Answer 2

A

Question 3

British Anti-Lewisite (BAL) is able to react with and remove the following toxin(s) from the body.

A)Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
B)Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)
C)Carbon monoxide (CO)
D)Mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb)

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a well known poison that is a

A)metabolic poison
B)dangerous acid
C)dangerous base (alkali)
D)none of these

Question 5

Carcinogens are chemicals that can cause

A)birth defects
B)mutations
C)cancer
D)hair loss

Question 6

Catalysts are substances which

A)slow down an undesired reaction
B)speed up a reaction while being used up in the reaction
C)speed up a reaction without being used up in the reaction
D)none of these

Question 7

Catalysts in living organisms are called

A)placebos
B)positrons
C)enzymes
D)inhibitors

Question 8

Chronic toxicology refers to long periods of exposure, whereas acute toxicology refers to relatively brief periods of exposure.

Question 9

DDT (p-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) has been used extensively as

A)a fertilizer
B)compost material
C)an insecticide
D)none of these

Question 10

Dioxins

A)do not cause chloracne, a disfiguring skin disease
B)were produced as a by-product of Agent Orange, the herbicide used in the Vietnam War
C)are well understood as to their effects on humans
D)none of these

Question 11

Endocrine toxins, or "environmental estrogens," such as bisphenol A (BPA) may cause, in humans and in wildlife,

A)feminization of males
B)disruption of reproduction
C)effects on fetal development
D)all of these

Question 12

Heavy metals such as mercury, thallium, and lead react with and interfere with the action of

A)carbohydrates
B)enzymes
C)lipids (oily substances)
D)none of these

Question 13

Highly polar substances such as water efficiently dissolve

A)ionic and non-polar substances
B)ionic and polar substances
C)non-polar substances
D)heavy metals

Question 14

Lead poisoning can cause

A)mental retardation and hyperactivity in developing young people
B)nerve damage such as irrational behavior in adults
C)anemia (lowered hemoglobin levels in the blood)
D)all of these

Question 15

Medications and toxins alike can enter the body through the skin.

Question 16

Mutagens such as benzo[ᶏ]pyrene can cause changes in the genes in the cells.

Question 17

Nerve cells (neurons) are connected by

A)cilia
B)ligaments
C)gaps or synapses across which chemicals called neurotransmitters flow
D)none of these

Question 18

Neurotoxins interfere with the

A)Citric Acid cycle
B)Krebs cycle
C)Acetylcholine Cycle
D)none of these

Question 19

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is

A)very dangerous to humans, even at low concentrations
B)dangerous to humans at high concentrations
C)more toxic to plants than sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
D)useful to silo fillers as a breathing aid

Question 20

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls,

A)are used today extensively for various purposes in industry
B)are safe for aquatic organisms
C)can cause chloracne in humans and their manufacture in the US has been discontinued
D)none of these

Question 21

Poisons that show up in the environment due to the activities of our society are known as

A)environmental toxins
B)class E toxins
C)chemicals banned by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
D)none of these

Question 22

Select the accurate statement.

A)Exposure to lead and its compounds is safe.
B)Exposure to lead is unsafe, but its compounds are safe.
C)Exposure to lead as well as its compounds is unsafe.
D)Lead is seldom used commercially in our society.

Question 23

Substances which in low concentrations can cause death in test animals are known as

A)allergens
B)toxins
C)flammables
D)none of these

Question 24

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an environmental toxin chiefly because of its action as a

A)gastrointestinal tract irritant
B)skin irritant
C)respiratory tract irritant
D)none of these

Question 25

Teratogens such as thalidomide can cause

A)birth defects
B)anemia
C)hepatitis
D)none of these

Question 26

The air sacks in the lungs by which gases pass in and out of the bloodstream are known as

A)cilia
B)alveoli
C)mitochondria
D)none of these

Question 27

The amount of a substance which is lethal to 50% of the test population is called lthe

A)LT-50
B)ET-50%
C)LD₅₀
D)statistical average value

Question 28

The author of the ground-breaking book, Silent Spring, wich sounded an alarm concerning risks to the environment, was

A)Paracelsus
B)Matheiu Orfila
C)Bruce Ames
D)Rachel Carson

Question 29

The highest does of a substance at which no effect is noticed is referred to as the

A)NOEL
B)LD-zero
C)Safe dose
D)QSAR

Question 30

The insecticide DDT (p-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is

A)highly toxic to humans
B)toxic to some aquatic life
C)toxic to some aquatic life, and able to interfere with the strength of eggshells, causing a decline I bird population
D)very expensive

Question 31

The insecticides parathion and malathion interfere with the

A)Citric Acid Cycle
B)Krebs Cycle
C)Acetylcholine Cycle
D)none of these

Question 32

The lungs are protected from inhalation of large (but not small) particles by the

A)cilia
B)the body's largest organ which is the skin
C)the pulmonary system
D)none of these

Question 33

The major route for the absorption of nutrients and water into the body is

A)the gastro-intestinal tract
B)the body's largest organ which is the skin
C)the pulmonary system
D)the circulatory system

Question 34

The most dangerous forms of mercury is/are

A)elemental liquid
B)elemental liquid and vapor
C)mercury compounds such as fungicides for grain
D)vapor and mercury compounds such as fungicides for grain.

Question 35

The nerve gas Sarin interferes with the

A)Citric Acid Cycle
B)Krebs Cycle
C)Acetylcholine Cycle
D) Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle

Question 36

The neurotransmitter used by nerve cells is

A)adenosine diphosphate
B)adenosine triphosphate
C)acetylcholine
D)insulin

Question 37

The situation in which the combined toxicity of substances is greater than their sum is

A)anti-antagonism
B)synergism
C)equilibrium
D)bioaccumulation

Question 38

The toxin arsenic occurs naturally in the water supplies in some locations.

Question 39

The toxin cadmium is

A)a problem known since antiquity
B)used in rechargeable batteries
C)rapidly removed from the body
D)not found in tobacco smoke

Question 40

The toxin carbon monoxide (CO) acts by reacting with and tying up

A)adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
B)thyroxin
C)thiamine
D)hemoglobin

Question 41

The toxin carbon monoxide (CO) interferes with the ability of hemoglobin to carry

A)hydrogen
B)nitrogen
C)oxygen
D)enzymes

Question 42

The toxicity of chemicals can vary greatly between different species.

Question 43

Toxins in the environment are generally broken down by

A)water, light, and microorganisms
B)catalysts
C)enzymes
D)PCBs