Toxic to Whom?

Essential Question: Are women more likely than men to be affected by a certain toxin?

Standards:

• PS1A: Structure and Properties of Matter

• ESS3C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

• Planning and Carrying out Investigations (SEP)

• Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking (SEP)

Photo: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

In the US, we consider ourselves lucky to have strict environmental and health regulations that keep us safe from hazardous toxins. But how do experts decide which substances are considered safe and which are considered toxic? A look at data reveals that there are many ways to measure toxicity and that conclusions may differ across individuals and demographic groups.

While little concrete data exists on the topic, many workplace-safety experts have long hypothesized that women are at greater risk for toxic chemical exposure than men due to higher average levels of body fat, which absorb and store many toxins. Chemistry students can test and calculate the solubility of various substances in lipid-based solvents to determine which could disproportionately affect women. To add layers of complexity to the lesson, create mathematical models that incorporate average volume of blood in men and women and consider rates of diffusion given varying surface area to volume ratios in bodies of different sizes.

Photo: Seattle PI

Environmental science students may study pathways of these toxins (eg. biomagnification, air and water pollution, etc.), regulations, and mitigations. In addition to differences in lipid-storage of toxins, a broad environmental audit may reveal that men and women are unequally exposed because of gendered occupations (eg. nail technician v. construction worker) and societal roles (eg. carbon monoxide exposure from cooking).  Example case studies include PCBs, mercury, and toluene.