Course Director:  L.M. Ball,  Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering
   

Course Description: This course introduces students to the general principles underlying the health effects of environmental agents. Students will gain an understanding of the mechanisms of interactions between environmental agents and living systems. This course will enable students to apply information derived from fundamental microbiology and toxicology studies to assessment of the health hazards associated with exposure to environmental agents, and to predicting the health effects of novel agents.

Prerequisites:  Biology, chemistry through organic, mathematics through calculus; biochemistry is recommended. If these prerequisites are not all met: students may remedy weak areas by independent study (suitable texts are listed below), and permission of the course coordinator is required.

Instructors: (tentative list)

Dr. L. M. Ball, 4114E McG-G, 966-7306, lmball@unc.edu
Dr. O.D. "Chip" Simmons, 353 Rosenau, 966-7302
Dr. J. A. Kase, NC State Laboratory of Public Health, 807-8796
Dr. A. Gold, 157 Rosenau, 966-7304
Dr. I. Rusyn, 0031 MHRC, 843-2596
Dr. H. Clewell, The Hamner Institutes for Health Science, HClewell@thehamner.org
Dr. L. A. Nylander-French, 159 Rosenau, 966-3826
Dr. D. L. Costa, U.S. EPA, 541-2532
Dr. J. E. Simmons, U.S. EPA, 541-7829
Dr. J. A. Swenberg, 2002 MHRC, 966-6139

Reading Material

The reading material for this course consists mainly of class handouts. There is no assigned textbook.
There are recommended books, which are available for purchase at the UNC Health Affairs Bookstore.
Some of these are also on reserve at the Health Sciences Library.

Two books are recommended for supplementation of classroom material. These are:

TOXICOLOGY

TIMBRELL, J. A.:  Principles of Biochemical Toxicology. Taylor and Francis, London, 2000, Third Edition, pp. 394.  ISBN 0-7484-0736-7, Softcover, $49.95.  A highly readable introductory text.
or
CASARETT AND DOULL’s Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001, pp. 1236. Edited by Curtis D. Klaassen. ISBN 0-07-134721-6, Hardback, $105.00.  An in-depth treatment of toxicology, suitable as a long-term reference for students who intend to specialise in this field.

MICROBIOLOGY

BURTON, G.R.W., and Engelkirk, P.G.: Microbiology for the Health Sciences.  7th Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, 2004. ISBN 0-7817-4000-2, Softcover, $45.95.
or
ENGLEBERG, N.C., et al.: Schaechter's Mechanisms of Microbial Disease. 4th Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, 2007. ISBN 0-7817-4342-2.
 

FOR REVIEW of basic biochemistry, chemistry, and microbiology, as required

GILBERT, H. F.: Basic Concepts in Biochemistry: A Student's Survival Guide.  2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, NY, 2000. ISBN 0-07-135657-6, Softcover, $29.95.

LEMKE, T. L.: Review of Organic Functional Groups: Introduction to Medicinal Organic Chemistry. 4th Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2003. ISBN 0-7817-4381-8, Softcover (with CD-ROM), $37.95.

BROOKS, G.F., Butel, J.S. and Morse, S.A.:  Jawetz, Melnick and Adelberg's Medical Microbiology. 23rd Ed., McGraw-Hill/Appleton and Lange, Stamford, CT, 2004.  ISSN 1054-2744, Softcover, $49.95.

The web site www.cellsalive.com also contains useful material.

Course-related links! Click here and/or here.

CLASS SCHEDULE
 

Grading Opportunities: Grades will be based on twelve homework sets, two in-class examinations, and one final examination.

Homework Sets: The homework sets will consist of three short-answer questions and one question requiring more extensive reasoning. Sets will be handed out on Fridays and will be due the following Friday. Completed homework sets are to be placed in the box marked "ENVR 430 HOMEWORK SETS," located on the desk of Ms. Robin Whitley,  in Room 148  Rosenau Hall.  Homework sets should be submitted by 5:00 PM on the day they are due.

Each homework set counts for 5% of the total course grade; collectively, these sets count for 60% of the entire course grade. Each homework set is weighted equally.  The following grading scheme is used:
 

In-class Examinations: The in-class examinations count for 5% each (and collectively for 10%) of the overall course grade. The first in-class exam, held on September 26, will include the material covered August 24-September 17. The second in-class exam, held on October 22, will include the material covered September 19-October 15.

Final Examination: The final examination will be held on Friday, December 7, 12 noon.  It will count for 30% of the overall course grade, and will include the material covered in the entire course.

Previous years' problem sets, midterm examinations, and final examinations are available electronically as .pdf files by clicking here.