ord Lesson 6: Rodent and Mice Control Rats — are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea, “True rats” are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the blacle rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvicus. Rats are typically distinguished from mice by their size: rats are generally large rodents, while mice are generally small rodents. Difference Between Rats and Mice: RATS: ‘MICE 1. Adult rats are heavier and longer than adult ©, Weighing from 200-800 grams. They have 9- 11 inches long bodies and 7-9 inches tails. 1. Adult mice weighs 30-50 grams and have bodics 3-4 inches long with 3-4 inch tails, 2. Rats are very cautious and will not readily approach new items in its path until it has had time to get used to its presence. Thus, prior to setting rat traps, unset traps should be placed in the rat’s path, 2. Mice are very curious and will investigate new things. Thus, if mice are not caught within the first days of trap placement, the trap is likely in the wrong place and should be moved. 3. Rats will eat anything, but they prefer fresh grain and meat. 4. Rats will burrow under buildings, along fences and railroad tracks, and under vegetation and debris, 3. Mice prefer cereal grains and plants, but will feed on almost anything. 4. A mouse will build its nest from about any soft material or finely shredded paper. They can be found indoors and outdoors, in urban and rural 5. A female rat can have six litters of up to 12 ‘young per year. These more than 70 rats can begin breeding themselves within three months of birth. 5. In a single year, one female mouse can breed up to 10 litters of $ to 6 young. These 60 offsprings can begin to reproduce themselves in as litle as six weeks. 6. Rats can live up to a year anda half. 6. Mice have an average life span of 9 to months. 7. Being nocturnal (active at night), rats have very Poor eyesight, have a very strong sense of smell, taste and hearing. 7. A nocturnal creature, the mouse is miost active from dusk up until morning light. Though color blind, mice have very keen sense of hearing, smell, taste and touch. 8. Strong swimmers, rats will live in sewers and 8. As excellent jumpers, swimmers and climbers, ean enter buildings through broken drains and lets, mice can ascend even rough vertical surfaces, Rodent Repellant Rodent Traps A variety of rodent traps are commercially available. From live traps to glue and classic snap traps, these contraptions vary in effectiveness. “Live traps are designed to catch rodents without causing them physical ham. However, if not emptied ina timely manner, live traps may cause rodents to die of starvation. Kill traps or death traps, do precisely what their name implies. They eliminate individual rodents, ‘which require careful and timely disposal. Glue traps are popular kills’ traps that work. through detaining & rodent until starvation oceurs. However, some rodents are capable of escaping from ‘elue traps. Snap ‘raps and various electronic rat stations immediately Kill captured rodents Regardless of type, traps alone cannot control rodent populations. Profesional pest control is often necessary in conjunction with other control and repellant methods, a9osa Rodent Proofing Your Home Sometimes rats and mice get indoors, creating a nuisance. They damage property, contaminate food, and transmit diseases. Therefore, effective control methods are essential. The following suggestions should help in eliminating rodents in your home: 1. Cleanup Cleanup inside and store food in glass and metal containers. Floors should be swept often to deny ais and mice food. Garbage should be placed in trash cans with lids. Food and pet food should not be Ion ie pamight unprotested. The control of weeds around the outside entryways is also an important factor Uns should be placed along walls and in paths where rodents travel. Beware of trap-shy rats and mice, and leave traps un-set until bait has been taken at least once. It is better to nse too ‘many traps than not enough. Most recommended baits for traps are ground meat o fish, 3. Poisoning, Poison bait can be used along with trapping to increase capture and kill. BE SURE TO USE THESE ACCORDING TO LABEL DIRECTIONS. Mice tend to nibble, 0 expect a longer period of time 1. Rodent Proofing Rodent proofing is a vital part of a complete rodent control program. The objective isto close all Present and potential openings which may serve as entries for rats and mice. This meane changing fuilding details to prevent rats and mice from entering. It is important not to seal rodents indoors until baiting, trapping and removal is completed, ‘The materials for rodent proofing should be rodent resistant, such as sheet metal, heavy wire mesh, concrete, brick and mortar. Stee! wool isa good substitute for plugging holes when her mrerints Aare not available, but it should only be used as a temporary measure. 5. Rodent Controt Finally, ater you have control ofthe problem, continue to monitor both inside and outside your residence to make sure your property is rodent fice. Remember, re-infestation can oeeur inside rene roofed buildings when doors and windows are let open. Re-inspection is necessary to be ceri rodent Proofing remains effective. Building Code of the Philippines Specification on Pest and Vermin Control Section 905. Pest and Vermin Control &. All buildings with hollow and/or wood construction shall be provided with rat Proofing. ». Garbage bins and receptacle shall be provided with ready means for cleani ig and with positive Protection against entry of pests and vermins, © Dining rooms for public use without artificial ventilation shall be provided screened. Lesson 7: Mosquito Control Mosquito ~ is the name of a large group of slender insects that feed on blood and other liquids. Certain Trosauitoes spread some of the world's worst disease, including dengue, encephalitis, malaria and yellow fever. Many others do not spread disease, but they inflict itchy bites, Mosquitoes can act as a vector for many disease-causing viruses and parasites. Infected ‘mosquitoes Central Asia. This disease is spread through the bites of infected mosquitoes and cannet ke spread person ‘operson. Severe dengue can be fatal, but with good treatment, less than 1% of patients die frem dengue. ~ manages the population of mosquitoes to reduce their damage to human health Someries and enjoyment. Mosquito Control is a vital public-health practice throughout the world and especially in the tropics because Mosquitoes spread many diseases, such as malaria, 50Isa Mosquito -control operations are targeted against throe different problems: J. Naisance Mosquitoes - bother people around homes or in parks and reereational areas; ~ Economically important mosquitoes ~ reduce real estate values, adversely affect tourism and ‘elated business interests, or negatively impact livestock or poultry production: 3. Public Health — is the focus when mosquitoes are vectors, or transmitters of infectious disease. General Methods Depending on the situation, source reduction, biocontrol (contro of larvae), or adult sul) may be used to manage mosquito populations. These techniques are accomplished using habitat ‘modification, pes Monitoring Mosquito Populations Adult mosquito populations may be monitored via landing rate counts, or mechanical traps. For fanding rate counts, an inspector visits a set number of sites every day, counting the number of adie female mosquitoes that land on a part of the body, such as an arm or both legs, within a given time taken back to chemical attractant that are normally given off by mosquito hosts (e.g. carbon dioxide, ammonia, lactic acid, octenol) to attract adult female mosquitoes. These cues are often used in combination Monitoring larval mosquito populations involves collecting larvae from standing water with a dipper. The habitat, approximate total number of larvae and pupae, and species are noted for cach collection Monitoring larval mosquito populations is done by providing artificial breeding spots, Ovitrap and collecting and counting the developing larvae in fixed intervals. Souree Reduction Since many mosquitoes breed in standing water, source reduction can be as simple as emptying water from containers around the home. For example, homeowners can eliminate mosquito breeding grounds by Temoving unused plastic pools, old tires, or buckets; by clearing clogged gutters and repairing leaks around faucets; by regularly changing water in bird baths; and by filling or draining puddles, swampy we ind te stumps. Eliminating such mosquito breeding areas can be an extremely effective and Permanent way to reduce mosquito populations without resorting to insecticides, Biocontrot larvae such as mosquitofish and some eyprinids (carps and minnows) and killfieh. ‘1 lapia will also voorkd pe guasauito larvae. Direct introduction of tilapia and mosquitofish into ecosystems around the World have disastrous consequences. However, utilizing a controlled system via Aqueponics Provides the mosquito conirol withhout the adverse effects to the ecosystem. OiDrip An oil drip can or oil drip barrel was a common and nontoxic ant-mosquito measure, The thin layer oF ol on top of the water prevents mosquito breeding, in two ways: mosquito larvae in the wate, cannot Penetrate the oil film with their breathing tube, and so drown and die; also adult mosquitoes do not lay 82s on the oiled water. Larviciding Control of larvae can be accomplished through the use of contact poisons, growth regulators, surface films, stomach poisons (including bacterial agents), and biological agents such as fungi, nematodes, copepods and fish. A chemical commonly used in the United States is methoprene, considered slightly ‘oxic to larger animals, which mimies and interferes with natural growth hormones in mosquito larvae, Preventing development. Methoprene is frequently distributed in time-release briquette fora in breeding areas. itis believed by some researchers thatthe larvae of Anopheles gambiae (important vectors of malaria) can survive for several days on moist mud, and that treatments should therefore include med wad sat several meters from puddles. 52wa Adulticiding Control of adult mosquitoes is the most familiar aspect of mosquito control to most of the public. It is accomplished by ground-based applications or via aerial application of chemical pesticides. Generally, modern mosquito-control programs in developed countries use low-volume applications of pesticides, although some programs may still use thermal fogging. Use of DDT DDT was formerly used throughout the world for large area mosquito control, but it is now banned most developed countries. Controversially, DDT remains in common use in many developing countries, which claim that the public-health cost of switching to other control metho Theds would exceed the harm caused by using DDT. It is sometimes approved for use only in specific, limited circumstances where itis most effective, such as application to walls. Other Methods ‘A newer approach to killing mosquitoes in a non-toxic way is to use a device that bums propane, thus ‘generating carbon dioxide, warmth and water vapor. These threc elements, often coupled with a chemical attractant heated in this process, draws the mosquitoes toward the propane flame, where they are then sucked into a net or holder where they collect. ‘A traditional approach in controlling mosquito populations is the use of lethal Ovitrap by providing artificial spots for the mosquitoes but destroying the developing larvae. The latest approach is the automatic lethal ovitrap which works like a traditional ovitrap but automates all steps needed to provide the breeding spots and to destroy the developing larvae. Lesson 8: Fly Control Flies — the common house fly (Musca domestica), is one of the most prevalent of all insects and is widely distributed throughout the world, which can make fly control difficult. ‘Adults are strong fliers and can travel up to 20 miles, although they are found primarily within two miles of the larval food site. When feeding, house flies regurgitate liquid from the stomach to dissolve food, then use their sponging mouthparts to suck it up. They leave fecal spots, or “specks”, where they have walked, and in this way may transfer disease organisms to humans and animals. Filth flics carry disease-causing organisms and can be a threat to public health. These flies broed in bacteria-laden environments, such as feces, carrion, and human food waste, often in close proximity to humans or domesticated animals. Filth flies include some of our most common fly pests — house flies, fruit flies, green bottle flies, stable flies, and several other ‘A single house fly can carry over one million bacteria. No less than 60 different diseases can be transmitted by filth flies, from salmonella to dysentery. Most filth flies can reproduce quickly in warm weather. To keep fly populations under control, you must limit the places where they can breed and feed. Control + Sanitation is the most effective and important step in controlling house flies. The follo sanitation practices.: 1, Clean up all pet and animal feces promptly. Any fresh, moist animal feces will draw flies. To keep flies from breeding in your dog's doo-doo, either bury it immediately or use a pooper scooper and plastic bag to remove and seal the feces. Place the bagged waste in a lidded garbage can. 2. Dispose of kitchen scraps and other organic waste properly. When it comes to food waste, the drier the better. Drain any moisture you can from it before throwing it away. Scrape your plates or other leftovers into a plastic garbage bag, tie the bag shut, and put it in a garbage can with a tight fighting lid. 3. Ifyou save kitchen waste for your compost heap, add some sawdust to your serap bin to help absorb ‘moisture and odors that might attract flies. If your compost pile does not heat up sufficiently, those kitchen scraps may attract breeding flies. Turn your compost pile regularly, and don't put meats or animal waste in your compost bin. 4.Garbage cans and dumpsters are favorite breeding areas for flies. You can significantly reduce fly populations by keeping lids tightly closed on your trash cans, and making sure the cans have no holes. All garbage within the can should be bagged and tied closed. Don't forget to put your garbage out for collection regularly. Its not a bad idea to scrub out your cans now and then, to remove any food or pet waste residue, are good. 52esa 5. Recycling cans also attract some filth flies. Rinse empty soda cans, beer bottles, and pet food cans before tossing them in the recycling, If possible, use a lidded recycling container. 6. If you have fruit trees in your yard, pick up any fruit that falls on the ground. Fermenting or overripe fruit provides just the right combination of moist and sweet to attract flies. Physical Controls for Filth Flies Following sanitation rules will significantly reduce, but not completely eliminate flies in one’s home and yard. One can further limit the numbers of these unhealthy pests by using appropriate barriers and traps. 1. Install and maintain tight-fitting window screens. Check your screens for holes or tears and repair them as needed. 2. Sticky fly paper does work, but is most useful when fly populations are low. If you've followed all the steps to limit breeding sites, hanging a few sticky fly paper traps will do the trick on the few that wander into your home. 3. Commercially available fly traps work well, especially for house flies. Traps usually contain some kind of food bait, sometimes in combination with a pheromone. Place fly traps where you see the most flies. Pesticides are available to control flies, but should never be used as the first line of defense against them. Proper sanitation is the best way to keep flies to a minimum Lesson 9: Milk and Food Sanitation Food Sanitation — is the practice of following certain rules and procedures to prevent the contamination of food, keeping it safe to eat or simply itis a protection from contamination. At the consumer level, such as in a home kitchen, practices designed to ensure that food is uncontaminated and safe to eat is often called food hygiene. The five key principles of food hygiene, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are: 1, Prevent contaminating food with pathogens spreading from people, pets, and pests. 2. Separate raw and cooked foods to prevent contaminating the cooked foods. 3. Cook foods for the appropriate length of time and at the appropriate temperature to kill pathogens. 4, Store food at the proper temperature. 5. Do use safe water and cooked materials. ‘Two-spoon tasting method: Use a clean spoon to scoop up the item you wish to taste. Pour that food into a second clean spoon and then taste it, Never taste food over an open container. This ensures that the spoon you taste does not go back into the food you are preparing. Milk Sanitation One of the most common methods of milk sanitation is pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process of heating food, which is usually a liquid, to a specific temperature for a predefined length of time and then immediately cooling it after it is removed from the heat. This process slows spoilage due to microbial growth in the food. Pasteurization is the main reason for milk’s extended shelf life. High-temperature, short-time (HTST) Pasteurized milk typically has a refrigerated shelf life of two to three weeks, whereas ultra-pasteurized milk can last much longer, sometimes two to three months. When ultra-heat treatment (WHIT) is combined with sterile handling and container technology, (such as aseptic packaging), it can even be stored unrefrigerated for 6 to 9 months. Lesson 10: Stream and River Sanitation Stream Sanitation — is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes coming from the body of water with a current, confined within a bed and water banks. ‘Two Major Water Pollutant Sources: 1. Point Sources a 2. Non-Point Sourcesred Six Sources of River and Stream Sanitation: 1. Point-souree pollution — is a pollution that comes from a single source, such as a factory or ‘wastewater treatment plant or pollution that enters streams from industrial and agricultural sites, Agricultural runoff from farms and ranches still contains unsavory levels of bacteria, hormones, Pesticides, herbicides, excrement, and fertilizers, as well as large amounts of sediment. Many of the pollutants, from both farm and factory, are endocrine disruptors. One of the results we are beginning to see is that male fish are becoming feminized and incapable of Teproducing, Sex ratios are changing. In one study downstream of the Boulder, Colorado wastewater treatment plant, 60 white suckers were collected; 50 of them were female! Upstream, the ratio was half male and half female. This is the result of endocrine disruptors, including both industrial chemicals that ~ we flush down our toilets. 2, Urban Runoff — is surface runoff of rainwater created by urbanization 3. Sewage — is used water from domestic, commercial, or industrial establishments carrying sanitary or industrial waste material. Water-treatment plants only clean out some of the pollutants, leaving the rest in the treated water that they pipe into streams. 4. Power Plants — nuclear, natural gas, and coal power plants inject heated water into rivers, raising temperatures above normal. This heat pollution can cause devastating change in river ecology. 5. Mining 6. Sediment Lesson 11: Swimming Pool Sanitation Swimming Pool Sanitation — refers to methods for ensuring healthy conditions in pools, heat tubs, plunge pools and similar recreational water venues to maintain the visual clarity of water ind to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. ‘Swimming Pool System and Disinfection Methods: I. Chlorine and Bromine Methods ~ conventional halogen-based oxidizers such as 1) chlorine and 2) bromine are convenient and economical primary sanitizers for swimming pools and provide a residual level of sanitizer that remains in the water. 1. Chlorine-releasing compounds are the most popular and frequently used in swimming pools. 2. Bromine-releasing compounds have found heightened popularity in spas and hot tubs. Both chlorine and bromine are members of the halogen family with demonstrated ability to destroy and deactjvate a wide range of potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses in swimming pools and spas. Both exhibit three essential elements as ideal first-line-of-defense for swimming pools and spas: 1. they are fast-acting and enduring 2. they are effective algaccides 3. exhibit strong oxidizer action of undesired contaminants Chlorine reacting with urea in urine and other nitrogen-containing wastes from bathers can produce chloramines. Chloramines typically occur when an insufficient amount of chlorine is used to disinfect a contaminated pool. Chloramines are generally responsible for the noxious, irritating smell prominently ‘occurring in indoor pool settings. A common way to remove chloramines is to “super-chlorinate” commonly called “shocking” the pool ‘with a high dose of inorganic chlorine sufficient to deliver 10 ppm chlorine. Regular super chlorination (every two weeks in summer) helps to eliminate these unpleasant odors in the pool. Swimming Pool Sanitation Methods: 1. Filtration —to remove pollutants 2. Disinfection - to kill infectious microorganisms 3. Swimmer Hygiene ~ to minimize the introduction of contaminants into pool water 4. Regular testing of pool water including chlorine and pH levels 54sod Lesson 12: Radiological Health Radiological Health — is a field of study concemned with science and engineering practices that form the basis for the efficacious and safe use of radiation in industry, research and medicine. External and Internal Radiation Hazards External radiation hazards result from exposure to sources of ionizing radiation of sufficient energy to penetrate the body and cause harm. Unless the sources of alpha or beta radiation are quite close to the skin, they pose only a small external radiation hazard. X-rays and gamma rays constitute the most ‘common type of external hazard. When of sufficient energy, both are capable of deep penetration into the body. As a result, no radiosensitive organ is beyond the range of their damaging power. ication of Radiation 1 onizing radiation — have only sufficient energy to change the rotational, vibrational or electronic valence configurations of molecules and atoms because the kinetic energy of particles for non- ionizing radiation is too small to produce charged ions when passing through matter. Types of non-ionizing radiation includes: ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared, microwave, radio ‘waves, very low frequency, extremely low frequency, thermal radiation (heat) and black-body radiation 2. Ionizing radiation — can knock electrons off of atoms and create ions because of excess kinetic gy. This occurs when an electron is stripped from an electron shell of the atom, which leaves the atom clude x-ray, gamma, alpha, beta and neutron radiation. Ionizing radiation is generated through nuclear reactions, miclear decay, very high temperature, or via acceleration of charged particles in electromagnetic fields. Natural sources include the sun, lightning and supemova ‘explosions. Artificial sources include nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, and x-ray tubes. Uses of Radiation 1, Medicine — radiation and radioactive substances are used for diagnosis, treatment, and research. For example, X-rays pass through muscles and other soft tissue but are stopped by dense materials. This property of X-rays enables doctors to find broken bones and to locate cancers that might be growing in the body. Doctors also find certain diseases by injecting a radioactive substance and monitoring the radiation given off as the substance moves through the body. Radiation used for cancer treatment is called ionizing radiation because it forms ions in the cells of the ues it passes through as it dislodges electrons from atoms. This can kill cells or change genes so the cells cannot grow. 2. Communication — all moder communication systems use forms of electromagnetic radia Variations in the intensity of the radiation represent changes in the sound, pictures, or other information being transmitted, 3. Science — researchers use radioactive atoms to determine the age of materials that were once part of a ing organism. The age of such materials can be estimated by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon they contain in a process called radiocarbon dating. The age of rocks and other geological features (even some man-made objects) can be determined, and this is called radiometric dating. Environmental scientists use radioactive atoms, known as tracer atoms, to identify the pathways taken by ‘Pollan Sigh th ante Detection and Measurement of Radiation In the United States, radiation absorbed dose, dose equivalent and exposure are often measured and stated in te older units called rad, rem or roentgen (R) respectively. The International System of Units (SD for radiation measurement is now the official system of measurement and uses the “gray” (Gy) and sievert” (Sv) for absorbed dose and equivalent dose respectively. Conversions are 1 Gy = 100 rad and 1 Sv= 100 rem. Radiation cannot be detected by human senses. A. variety of handheld and laboratory instruments is available for detecting and measuring radiation. 1. Geiger Counter 2. MicroR Meter 3. Portable Multichannel Analyzerocd Radioactive Contamination — (also called radiological contamination) is the deposition of, or presence of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids or gases (including the human body), where their presence is unintended or undesirable. It is important to remember that radiation does not spread or get “on” or “in’” people; rather, it is radioactive contamination that can be spread. A person contaminated with radioactive material will receive radiation exposure until the source of radiation (the radioactive material) is removed. + A person is externally contaminated if radioactive material is on the skin or clothing. ‘A person is internally contaminated if radioactive material is breathed in, swallowed, or absorbed through wounds. ‘©The environment is contaminated if radioactive material is spread about or is unconfined. Radioactive Wastes — are wastes that contain radioactive material. They are usually by-products of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine. Radioactive waste is hazardous to most forms of life and the environment, and is regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the environment. Radioactivity naturally decays over time, so radioactive waste has to be isolated and confined in appropriate disposal facilities for a sufficient period of time until it no longer poses a hazard. The period of time waste must be stored depends on the type of waste and radioactive isotopes. It ean range from a few days for very short-lived isotopes to millions of years for spent nuclear power. Types of Radioactive Wastes: 1. Uranium Tailings — waste by-product materials left over from the rough processing of uranium- bearing ore, 2. Low level Waste ~ generated from hospitals and industry, as well as the nuclear fuel cycle. Low- level wastes include paper, rags, tools, clothing, filters, and other materials which contain small amounts of mostly short-lived radioactivity. 3, Intermediate Level Wastes — contains higher amounts of radioactivity and in some eases requires shielding. Intermediate-level wastes include resins; chemical sludge and metal reactor nuclear fuel cladding, as well as contaminated materials from reactor decommissioning. It may be solidified in concrete or bitumen for disposal. 4. High Level Wastes — produced by nuclear reactors. It contains fission products and transuranie cements generated in the reactor core. It is highly radioactive and often hot. 5. Transuranic Waste — is waste that is contaminated with alpha-emitting transuranic radionuclides with half-lives greater than 20 years and concentrations greater than 100 nCi/g (3.7 MBa/kg). Radioactive Waste Management 1. Vitrification — transformation of a substance into a glass. Usually, it is achieved by rapidly cooling a liquid through the glass transition. 2. Ton Exchange — exchange of ions between two electrolytes or between an electrolyte solution and a complex. In most cases, the term is used to denote the processes of purification, separation, and decontamination of aqueous and other ion-containing solutions with solid polymeric or mineralic “ion exchangers”. 3. SynRoe (Synthetic Rock) — the Australian Synroc is a more sophisticated way to immobilize such ‘waste, and this process may eventually come into commercial use for civil wastes. The Synroc contains pyrochlore and eryptomelane type minerals. 4. Above Ground Disposal — dry cask storage typically involves taking waste from a spent fuel pool and sealing it (along with inert gas) in a steel cylinder, which is placed in a concrete cylinder which acts as a radiation shield. It is a relatively inexpensive method which can be done at a central facility or adjacent to the source reactor. The waste can be easily retrieved for reprocessing. 5. Geologie Disposal — the basic concept is to locate a large, stable geotogic formation and use mining technology to excavate a tunnel, or large-bore tunnel boring machines below the surface where rooms or ‘vaults can be excavated for disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The goal is to permanently isolate ‘nuclear waste from the human environment.