Environment & Occupational Health

Topics in this chapter

• Environmental Sanitation and Waste
• Water Quality, Purification and Disinfection
• Environmental Pollution and Toxic Exposures
• Occupational Health and Workplace Safety
• Occupational Lung Diseases and Dust

Practice questions

1. Question 1Q-73C13B

   A 45-year-old male worker in a battery manufacturing unit presents with wrist drop, colicky abdominal pain, and a dark blue line along the gingival margin. Laboratory investigations reveal microcytic hypochromic anemia with basophilic stippling. Which of the following is the most sensitive screening test for occupational exposure to this toxic metal?

   1. A.Blood lead level
   2. B.Blood delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity
   3. C.Urinary coproporphyrin
   4. D.Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP)
   See the answer and solution
2. Question 2Q-D7560F

   A 35-year-old stonecutter presents with progressive shortness of breath and dry cough. Chest radiograph shows multiple small, rounded opacities (nodules) predominantly in the upper lung zones, along with a 'egg-shell' calcification of hilar lymph nodes. High-resolution CT confirms pulmonary fibrosis. Which of the following is the hallmark pathological lesion of this condition?

   1. A.Ferrugenous bodies
   2. B.Silicotic nodule (hyalinized collagen fibers)
   3. C.Asbestos bodies
   4. D.Caseating granuloma
   See the answer and solution
3. Question 3Q-DD020C

   According to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications for drinking water (IS 10500: 2012), what is the maximum permissible limit for fluoride in drinking water in the absence of an alternative source, beyond which it causes skeletal fluorosis?

   1. A.0.5 mg/L
   2. B.1.0 mg/L
   3. C.1.5 mg/L
   4. D.3.0 mg/L
   See the answer and solution
4. Question 4Q-E479A1

   A community health survey is conducted in a rural area dependent on deep tube-well water. Several residents exhibit hyperpigmentation ('raindrop' pigmentation), palmoplantar keratosis, and characteristic Mee's lines on their fingernails. Chronic exposure to which of the following water contaminants is responsible?

   1. A.Lead
   2. B.Cadmium
   3. C.Arsenic
   4. D.Mercury
   See the answer and solution
5. Question 5Q-1627AC

   A textile mill worker presents with symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing that consistently occurs on the first day of the working week after a weekend away from the factory. The symptoms subside later in the week. This phenomenon is characteristic of which occupational respiratory disorder?

   1. A.Byssinosis
   2. B.Bagassosis
   3. C.Farmer's lung
   4. D.Asbestosis
   See the answer and solution