Toxins You need to know in APES
Toxin Where found in Environment Health Impacts Important Info
- Old pipes, old paint, and old Neurotoxin: brain damage and kidney - Flint, MI has in drinking water
gasoline. problems 2014-17
Lead - Batteries. - Babies and toddlers can ingest
- Electronic waste paint chips in an old house and
from toys.
- Bioaccumulates.
Mercury - Coal burned mercury Same as lead - Minamata Bay, Japan thousands
- Airbourne, rain, rivers, ocean died from Mercury dumped in Bay
- bioaccumulation and - Bioaccumulates
biomagnification - In water, bacteria transform to
- tuna and swordfish methylmercury which is also toxic.
- humans
Asbestos - Insulation in older buildings, Lung cancer (mesothelioma) and scarring N/A
flame retardant of the lungs (asbestosis)
DDT - In the blood of top predatory Birds’ eggs crack - Banned in the US
birds from persistent DDT/DDE - One of the dirty dozen
- Still used illegally and on - Bioaccumulates
imported food.
- Industrial chemical. Now banned, Neurotoxin. Same as lead - Same as DDT
but persists a long time (POP) - Bioaccumulates
PCB - Arctic Circle
Radon - Naturally occurring radioactive Causes lung cancer. - Can also dissolve into
gas is produced by the decay of groundwater.
uranium in some rocks and soil.
- Seeps into basements of homes
and through cracks in the
foundation.
Toxin Where found in Environment Health Impacts Important Info
- Old pipes, old paint, and old Neurotoxin: brain damage and kidney - Flint, MI has in drinking water
gasoline. problems 2014-17
Lead - Batteries. - Babies and toddlers can ingest
- Electronic waste paint chips in an old house and
from toys.
- Bioaccumulates.
Mercury - Coal burned mercury Same as lead - Minamata Bay, Japan thousands
- Airbourne, rain, rivers, ocean died from Mercury dumped in Bay
- bioaccumulation and - Bioaccumulates
biomagnification - In water, bacteria transform to
- tuna and swordfish methylmercury which is also toxic.
- humans
Asbestos - Insulation in older buildings, Lung cancer (mesothelioma) and scarring N/A
flame retardant of the lungs (asbestosis)
DDT - In the blood of top predatory Birds’ eggs crack - Banned in the US
birds from persistent DDT/DDE - One of the dirty dozen
- Still used illegally and on - Bioaccumulates
imported food.
- Industrial chemical. Now banned, Neurotoxin. Same as lead - Same as DDT
but persists a long time (POP) - Bioaccumulates
PCB - Arctic Circle
Radon - Naturally occurring radioactive Causes lung cancer. - Can also dissolve into
gas is produced by the decay of groundwater.
uranium in some rocks and soil.
- Seeps into basements of homes
and through cracks in the
foundation.
