SVN3E
Environmental Health
Ingested Pollutants Worksheet (for your portfolio)
Ingestion (eating or drinking) is one way that contaminants/pollutants can get into your body. There are
different types of contaminants that can be eaten or drunk like (1) pathogens, (2) heavy metals and (3)
chemicals.
In this activity, you will describe different types of contaminants that are often found in food and water.
1.Pathogens
a.Norovirus:
Please go to http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/norovirus-eng.php. It is a fact sheet for
Norovirus/Norwalk virus – a virus that can makes humans sick and it is found in some foods. Use the
website to answer the following questions.
What do noroviruses cause in humans (what symptoms)?
___________________________________________________________________________________
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How can people get infected with the virus? Name 2 ways.____________________________________
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How can norovirus infections be prevented? Name 2 ways.____________________________________
What is the treatment if someone gets sick with the norovirus?__________________________________
b. E. coli O157:H7 (a bacteria that causes many food poisonings in Canada)
What are the symptoms when someone is infected with E. coli O157:H7? Name two. ______________
___________________________________________________________________________________
How can you get sick with this bacteria? Name two ways._____________________________________
What are two foods with which E. coli is commonly associated? ________________________________
How can you protect yourself from getting infected with E. coli? Name two ways. _________________
2. Heavy Metals (these are chemical elements that can come from industry and several household
products, and can get into our water and/or our food)
a. Mercury: Please go to: http://www.pollutionprobe.org/report/MercuryBooklet_FINAL_print.pdf
How can you be exposed to mercury at home? Name one way: _________________________________
Why is mercury a concern for your household? Name one risk for babies and young children._________
Name one risk for adults: _______________________________________________________________
If you eat fish, what two kinds of fish are best to eat (very low mercury)? ________________________
What two types of fish should you avoid eating (high mercury)? ________________________________
b. Lead: Please go to: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/lead-plomb-eng.php#a3
Answer the questions about lead below:
What are two health effects of lead?_______________________________________________________
What are two sources of exposure to lead in food? ___________________________________________
What are two sources of exposure to lead in water? __________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Name two ways that you can reduce your risk of exposure to lead: ______________________________
3. Chemical contaminants (there are many, many different types of chemicals that can get into our
food and water).
a.Dioxins and furans: Please go to: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/dioxin-eng.php and
answer the following questions.
Where do dioxins and furans come from (look in the ‘Background’ section)? Name two places:
What are the health effects of dioxins and furans? Name two. __________________________________
How can you minimize your risk of exposure to dioxins and furans? Name two ways. _______________
b. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)
Where do PCBs come from? Name two sources. (look under the ‘Background’ and where PCBs are
found today’ sections) _________________________________________________________________
How are Canadians exposed to PCBs? Name two ways. ______________________________________
What are the health effects of PCBs? Name two. ____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
How can you minimize your risk of exposure to dioxins and furans? Name two ways. _______________
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