Components of geology and human health that may be incorporated into courses or curricular activities
compiled by Jean Bahr
Classes and characteristics of geogenic toxicants
Examples include:
radionuclides, metals, other toxic elements, minerals and gases.
Mobilization/release and transport mechanisms
- Natural processes
Examples include volcanic emissions, mineral dissolution during weathering and water-rock interactions, radioactive decay, solute transport by groundwater in regional flow systems, surface water transport of solutes and particulates and atmospheric circulation
- Human activities
Mining and milling, groundwater development, drainage and irrigation, land use that leads to enhanced erosion and burning of fossil fuels
Exposure pathways
Air
inhalation of gases or particulates
Water
drinking water and skin contact
Food
including geophagy
Occupational
miners, metal workers
Use (and improper disposal) of materials containing geogenic toxicants
asbestos insulation, mercury thermometers, building stone with high concentrations of radionuclides
Controls on bioavailability
Exposure and toxicity (or other health effects), speciation, solubility, size and shape of particulates, surface properties of biomolecules, dose-response relationships.
"Forensic" medical geology
Combined geochemical and epidemiological studies to identify sources and mechanisms responsible for geogenic health hazards.
Analtyical techniques
- Traditional analytical methods for determining concentrations in solids and water.
- Isotopic analyses.
- Microscopy and other methods for mineral characterization.
- Novel techniques that improve detection limits, can be applied rapidly and/or less expensively in the field, and allow characterization of surface properties of minerals at the nanoscale.
- Sampling and preservation issues.
- Impacts of improved detection limits and mineral characterization on identification and understanding of geogenic health hazards.
radionuclides, metals, other toxic elements, minerals and gases.
Examples include volcanic emissions, mineral dissolution during weathering and water-rock interactions, radioactive decay, solute transport by groundwater in regional flow systems, surface water transport of solutes and particulates and atmospheric circulation
Mining and milling, groundwater development, drainage and irrigation, land use that leads to enhanced erosion and burning of fossil fuels
inhalation of gases or particulates
Water
drinking water and skin contact
Food
including geophagy
Occupational
miners, metal workers
Use (and improper disposal) of materials containing geogenic toxicants
asbestos insulation, mercury thermometers, building stone with high concentrations of radionuclides
