SLE312 Toxicology – Report

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SLE312 Toxicology – Report
Overview
This assessment task requires you to work individually to apply your understanding of toxicology, to analyse
a toxicological event/scenario and produce a technical report. This assignment is meant to assist you to
consolidate your knowledge of toxicology in the context of a case study. It will require you to find
toxicological information and to interpret according to principles that you have learned in this unit.
Please ensure that you read the instructions below. If you have any questions, please contact the Unit Chair
to seek clarification. All topics (core and elective), should be used as sources of information and important
toxicological principles, however, you will need to research additional sources.
The aims of this assignment are for you to analyse information, provide succinct information to the
stakeholder and support this information.
Note that simply repeating information is not what this assignment is about – you must
analyse/discuss/comment on data and information you use and relate back to the specific scenario
question or task – you are providing expert advice so need to analyse the information to provide advice to
the stakeholder.
Marks and Due Dates
Length – this assignment is 2,000 words in total in 3 reports (this includes tables, but excludes references).
i.e. Report 1: 400 words, Report 2: 500 words, Reports 3 1,100 words.
Reports will be handed in at different dates (see below), but the final Report 3 will include copies of
Reports 1 and 2 in the online submission.
This assignment will constitute 40% of total unit marks.
Details of Reports and Marks:
1. Report 1: Case Study Selection, Scope & Rationale (5% of total unit marks – 400 words)
1.1. The selection of the topic/issue to be investigated in the study
1.2. The main reason for the selection of the topic
1.3. The scope of the study i.e. the overall aims; the areas that will/will not be considered
1.4. The principal dimensions and aspects of the topic
1.5. Identification of the principal stakeholders that are affected by the issue
1.6. Possible outcomes and ramifications for the stakeholders
2. Report 2: Background & Literature Review/Methodology of areas related to the topic (10% of total
unit marks – 500 words)
2.1. Concise summary of
2.1.1.Media reports, including literature
2.1.2.Scientific reports
2.1.3.Legislative requirements (if any)
2.2. Methodology
2.2.1.The possible types of methodologies that are relevant
2.2.2.The methodology that is selected to be used
2.3. Quantitative survey & scope
2.3.1.Survey of the ADME of the relevant chemical moieties
2.3.2.Predication of the likely quantitative parameters that are relevant
2.3.3.Quantitative calculations as relevant to the scenario to show if the result is plausible
2.4. (Any final concluding remarks for this section are optional)
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3. Report 3: Final Report (25% of total unit marks – 1,100 words)
3.1. Executive summary: a one page, tabulated summary of the final report, including conclusions &
recommendations
3.2. Brief overview
3.3. Description of methodology used (related to 2.2)
3.4. Detailed analysis including qualitative and quantitative discussions (related to 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3) – see
also the notes in the final section of this document
3.5. Conclusions following from the analysis
3.6. Recommendations to stakeholders
The final submission should attach Reports 1 & 2 to Report 3.
The following dates are for when the components of the report are due:
 Report 1 (5.00pm Friday 3rd April – Week 4) – Case Study Selection, Scope & Rationale
 Report 2 (5.00pm Friday 24th April – Week 6) – Background & Literature Review/Methodology
 Report 3 (5.00pm Monday 18th May – Week 10) – Final Report (including copies of Reports 1 & 2)
Step 1 – Decide on a Case Study -> Report 1
Read the newspaper clips that have been provided (located in the Report Assignment Folder). These provide
a summary of an issue that requires you as a toxicologist to respond to. That is, you have been asked to
provide a report on an aspect of an issue that you have identified within the article. Once you have read
them, you will then need to research an issue in the media and then select one that you will use as the basis
for your report.
Note that there may be several issues in an article, but you only have to choose one – and this will be based
on your interests.
For example, the article on fish kills could, in relation to toxicology, be focussed on the risks to aquatic
organisms, human health from consuming water via drinking, recreation or via food, impacts to grazing
animals and so on. You choose one aspect. The articles on lead could impact on workers and the
environment or other stakeholders.
After this decide on a stakeholder group that you will be writing the report for. Again for the fish kills, this
could be farmers, medical practitioners, the general community, recreational fishers, government agency
responsible water quality, insurance companies etc.
Once you have decided on the aspect that requires toxicology input, then consider a design of a study that
will provide the necessary data/information in order to be able to advise your stakeholders.
Complete the various sections in report 1 (see 1.1-1.7 above). As this is at the commencement of the project,
the statements should mainly be of intent of approach rather than final conclusions.
Step 2 – Report 2
This stage involves researching as much background as possible. The sections are described above in 2.1-2.3
and are as far-reaching as considered appropriate for the topic. However, the final result must be concisely
written within the word limit. Only relevant information should be included.
Step 3 –Final Report
This is the report you are providing to your stakeholder group. The main report should be written as a
scientific report that includes data, relevant information and analysis relevant to the topic.
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You should use the headings given in 3.1-3.7 above. Most of these are obvious, but below are some
suggestions.
For section 3.1 a tabulated, headed format is preferred. Use simple clear headings for fast reading of the
summary.
For section 3.4, the format of analysis can be designed by the student. The following is a suggestion:
i. Toxicology of the suspected substance: Summarise the toxic effects of the substance, the target
organs and the toxic mechanism.
ii. Quantitative analysis: Answer the question in detail: Do the levels found in the scenario reach that
indicated to give effects in the literature? Give the acute and toxic doses (eg LD50, LC50, SHD,
chronic toxic doses as relevant). Indicate the time course of the effects – for example are they
delayed? and by how long?
iii. Other Evidence: Provide what evidence is required to support your recommendations and
management strategies
References
All information included in the report must be properly referenced using the Harvard system. Any
quotations must be identified in italics or quotation marks and the source included in the references.
All reports should be succinct. Note that marks will be deducted for irrelevant or superfluous information,
and if the word limit is exceeded.