General Toxicology

Instance: 2022/2023 - 1S

Cycles of Study/Courses

Teaching language

Objectives

General Toxicology aims to provide basic knowledge in this area- The main contaminants will be analised form a toxicological point of view. National and international examples in the area of Toxicology will be provided to the students.   Theoretical concenpts related to the intoxication porcessw will be explained, the systemic toxicology, the methodologies for the plannification oif toxicity asays and the analiysis of results.

Learning outcomes and competences

By the end of this course students should be able to use the concepts learned in real situations of environmental pollution or in the evaluation of the toxicology and ecotoxicology of chemical substances. 

Working method

Program

Lectures:  Module 1- Principles of Toxicology; dimnamics and persistence of toxicants in organisms; distribution of toxicants in organisms; bioaccumulation, bioconcentration and bioamplification of toxicants.  Depuration, excretion and biotransformation of toxicants. Dinamics of intoxication.

 Module 2 - Systemic Toxicology: responses of the immunological syste; liver, kidney, respiratory and nervous systems; skin and reproductory system. Case study: endocrine disruptors 

Module 3 –.Toxicity and relashionship dose(concentration)/responses. Biological variability, intra and inter specific. Selection of assay species. Dose/response curves and most common toxicity measures: DL50, CL50, CE50 and others. Plannification of toxicity assays. Factors that affect toxicity. Applications of Toxicology: Forensic, clinical, ocupational and environmental toxicology

Module 4 –Environmental Risk Assessment and Human Health. The integration of ecotoxicological data in the risk assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic chemical compounds for the determination of safety limits. Main risk assessment schemes.

Mandatory literature

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical lectures with audiovisual support (powerpoint) and the slides will be made available to students via SIGARRA.

Evaluation Type

Assessment Components

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Eligibility for exams

Students should have at least 30% in each of the tests, presentations, report and final exam. The lack of report and oral presentation implies failure. Students should attend the minimum amount of pratical sessions according with geleral rules of FCUP

Calculation formula of final grade

Option 1-  Test 1 - 7 points; Test 2 - 7points; Presentation- 3 Points; Individual report- 3 points; TOTAL - 20 Points

Opção 2 - Final exam- 14 Points; Presentation- 3 points Individual report- 3 points; TOTAL - 20 Points.

The evaluation of the theorerical part is done by two tests or final exam.  If the student is not approved in the test can only have is final examination on the 2nd exam.