Module Components

• Overview
• Assignments

Nurs 735 - Toxicology

Module 6: Organics and Solvents

Overview

The basic framework of toxicology will now be applied to gain an understanding of the mechanisms by which exposure to certain organic substances and solvents can interact with biological systems and cause disease. Solvents are liquid organic chemicals that are frequently used to dissolve other chemicals that are typically insoluble in water. They vary greatly in their chemical properties, especially in their lipidphilicity and volatility. This module will explore differences in the chemical nature of various solvents and organic compounds (i.e. chlorinated) including structure, mechanism of action, and relative toxicities to different target organisms.

This will be done by employing the following information:

• Chemical structure/properties
• Important pathways of exposure (occupational and environmental)
• Absorption, distribution, metabolism/biotransformation and elimination
• Adverse effects following acute exposures
• Adverse effects following chronic exposures
• Human diseases linked to chronic exposures

The Health Effects of Surgical Smoke on OR Nurses (click here)

Objectives

At the conclusion of this module, the learner will be able to:

• Describe how different classes of solvents vary with respect to both their chemical characteristics and their mechanisms of toxicity
• Identify strategies to control solvent exposures in the workplace through Federal regulations as well as functional occupational safely practices.
• Explain the importance of metabolism in the toxicity of organic compounds
• Examine the structure and chemical nature of the three types of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons that concern toxicologists
• Explain why chlorinated hydrocarbons and related compounds remain important environmental pollutants even though production has been greatly reduced in recent years
• Identify the basic mechanism of action of TCDD and why establishing dose/response relationships for this and related compounds in humans is very difficult.

Required Materials

• Review the following:
• NIDA Inhalant fact sheet

• Watch Dioxins in U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. A video by NurtionFacts.org and Michael Greger M.D. FACLM, a physician, New York Times bestselling author, and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues.

• Read A problematic plastic, a position statement of the Health Care Without Harm organization

• Read Cassarett & Doull’s Essentials of Toxicology (2021). Chapter 24. Toxic effects of Solvents and Vapors.

Directions

Read/view the required materials within the module. Then complete the assignment for the module and post to the corresponding forum/thread in the Discussion Board/Course Assignments.