IGIENE E MUTAGENESI AMBIENTALE

6 CFU - 1° Semester

Teaching Staff

MARGHERITA FERRANTE - Module Hygiene and environmental mutagenesis: Environmental hygiene module. - MED/42 - 3 CFU
SALVATORE SACCONE - Module Environmental mutagenesis - BIO/18 - 3 CFU

Learning Objectives

Hygiene and environmental mutagenesis: Environmental hygiene module.
The course develops skills about the environmental field, with particular reference to the effects of pollutants on the air, water and soil and their effects on health; knowledge of monitoring protocols in the three environmental compartments.
Environmental mutagenesis
The ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS teaching aims to deepen the knowledge of the main methods for monitoring genotoxicity in environmental matrices by in vitro tests with mammalian cells and the knowledge of the main biomonitoring methods for human populations exposed to agents with genotoxic activity. From the application point of view, the course also aims to provide students with methodological skills related to the use of in vitro biological systems for the genotoxicity analysis of environmental matrices of various nature.

Course Structure

Hygiene and environmental mutagenesis: Environmental hygiene module.
Lessons with interactive didactic with case-study presentation and laboratoy practises.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.
Environmental mutagenesis
Classroom lessons and laboratory activities.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Detailed Course Content

Hygiene and environmental mutagenesis: Environmental hygiene module.
The environment and its factors; current state of the environment; relationships with health. Environmental pollution; bioavailability and biological amplification. Chemical hazards, major pathological effects; toxicity studies; the limits of acceptability.
Atmospheric air
physical and chemical characteristics. Air pollution (main sources, natural and man-made contaminants, primary and secondary, corpuscular and gaseous fuels; meteorological conditions and air pollution). damaging effects of air pollution on the environment (climate, vegetation, animals, materials). Health effects: immediate or short-term; distance or long-term. air pollution control.
Microclimate
Physical and chemical characteristics. Air inframurale and environmental well-being; thermoregulatory mechanisms; the well-being indices. "Indoor" The pollution.
water
Generality. Water intended for human consumption; sources of supply; water requirements; requirements of potability; criteria to rate potability; correction fisicoorganolettici characters, chemical characters, microbiological purification.
waste liquids
The urban waste water: composition and characteristics. Removal and disposal of residential areas with water distribution (primary treatment, secondary, tertiary, sludge treatment); from small groups or isolated houses with water distribution.
solid waste
Collection, removal; disposal (landfill, incineration, composting).
food hygiene
The power supply as a risk factor and as a prevention tool. food and malnutrition needs. food poisoning. food preservation.
Environmental mutagenesis
General principles of mutagenesis. The environmental factors that damage DNA. The mutagen and promutagen compounds. The main human patohologies related to envronmental pollutants. Cancer and genes involved in tumorigenesis. Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

The mutagenesis tests. The short and long term tests. The in vivo and in vitro tests. Test using bacteria. The Ames test.

In vitro tests with mammalian cells. Cell cultures and the chinese hamster cell lines. The cytogenetic analysis: the chromosomal aberration and the SCE tests. The micronucleus test. The comet-assay.

Realization of a t est of mutagenesis with mammalian cells. The OECD guidelines. Preparation of the compound and the use of solvents. The positive and the negative controls. Statistical analysis of the results.

Genomic and post-genomic analyses. Methods to evaluate biomarkers and to identify gene mutations. Array CGH and molecular cytogenetic analysis.

Epigenetic biomarker analyses. Analysis of global DNA and gene-specific methylation. The histone modifications.

Monitoring of genotoxicity in environmental samples: air, water, soil.

Biomonitoring of human populations. The biomarker of exposition, of effect and of susceptibility.

Textbook Information

Hygiene and environmental mutagenesis: Environmental hygiene module.
1) Maria Triassi, Gabriella Aggazzotti, Margherita Ferrante, Igiene Medicina Preventiva e del Territorio, II edizione, Sorbona, Idelson Gnocchi, Napoli 2015.

2) Buffoli M, Capolongo S., Odone A, Signorelli C. Salute e Ambienter, EDISES, Napoli 2016.
Environmental mutagenesis
L. Migliore. GENOMICA E MUTAGENESI AMBIENTALE. Zanichelli, Bologna, 2018.

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