The Dose Makes The Poison

Can water really poison you? An episode of the ACS Reaction series verifies that water can be toxic in large amounts. In fact, this is the main idea of the lesson: all elements are toxic at the right dose. 

Students investigate the effect of a chemical (they choose) on the germination of seeds. They calculate % chemical concentrations in water, form a hypothesis, and discuss the ethics of using animals in biomedical research.

Students define several vocabulary terms related to chemicals and toxicology. Students calculate chemical concentrations in water and explain the toxicological principles that govern safety of substances. Students conduct an...

Students investigate the 1950's pollution tragedy in Minamata, Japan. The elements of dose, response, individual susceptibility, potency, and threshold of toxicology are explored in this lesson.

Students identify environmental hazards on a simulated field trip. They analyze the exposure and suggest methods to eliminate or reduce exposure to toxic sources.

Students examine the clinical effects of environmental toxicants on living organisms by collecting and analyzing scientific data and identifying ways of detection and diagnosis.