ES420 Medical Geology

Class Syllabus (Adobe Acrobat Format)

Fall 2020 Syllabus
Fall 2020 Class Schedule (Ver 1.0 Updated September 28, 2020)

Taylor Fall 2020 Weekly Office Schedule

2020-2021 Final Exam Schedule

Bulletin Board **Check Here for Class News and Events**

Week 10 Class Announcments:

(1) Open-Book Take-Home Final Exam will be distributed electronically Thursday December 3, Due for Moodle Upload Thursday Dec. 10, 11 PM
  • Click Here to Download ES420 Med Geo Take-Home, Open-Book Final Exam

    (2) Week 10 Topic: Atmospheric Processes, Dust; Key-Word Review and Reading Summary Assignments Due via Moodle Upload Monday December 7, 2020

    Click Here to Go to Moodle

    Weekly reading summary assignments: each week, you will read 3 journal articles in the order listed below, and write an approximately 800-word comprehensive summary of your reading topic (i.e. summarize all three papers). Include reference citations and relevant figures. In addition you will complete a weekly key term review worksheet based on your readings.

    Writing Guides and Resources
    Example Reading Summary Style/Format to Model (800-word Summary Format; make yours look like this)
  • Example Style for Journal Reading Notes
  • Example Style for Article Summary
  • Student Work Sample Summer 2012

    Example Key Term Review Worksheet to Model (make yours look like this)

    NEW POSTING: ES420 Class Review Slide Shows and Recorded Zoom Meetings Fall Term 2020
  • Class Zoom Meeting: October 20, 2020 (~1 hr; *.mp4 video file format)
  • Class Slide Show: Introduction to ES420 Medical Geology
  • Class Slide Show: Weeks 1-4 Class Review - Key Concepts & Lessons Learned
  • Click here for week 8 Zoom Meeting video recording
  • Class Slide Show: Weeks 5-8 Class Review - Key Concepts & Lessons Learned

    NOTICE - The ES420 Web Page is updated frequently. EACH TIME YOU VISIT THIS SITE, use a "hard refresh" in your web browser to clear the older version from cache history, and refresh to the most up-to-date web page version. In Windows-Chrome: for hard refresh hold the "CTRL" key down, and click on the "refresh" browser button along the top tool bar. In Windows-Firefox: for hard refresh, hold the "shift" key down, and click on the "refresh" browser button along the top tool bar.

    Weekly Reading Assignments (Fall 2020)

    The course materials are organized according to their order of occurrence throughout the term. They are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) Format.


    Week 1 - Introduction to Medical Geology    (Week 1 Intro Reading Review Questions Due October 5, 2020)

    Class Slide Show: Introduction to ES420 Medical Geology

    Week 1 Introductory Reading Review Questions

  • Bunnell, J. E., Finkelman, R. B., Centeno, J. A., and Selinus, 2007, Medical Geology: A globally emerging discipline (9 p.)
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 1 - Introduction and Overview (37 p.)
  • Centeno et al., 2016, Medical Geology and Health - Status Overview (3 p.)


    Week 2 - Public Health and Geological Processes    (Week 2 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due October 12, 2020)

    Week 2 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Cook, 2013, Public Health and Geological Processes (18 p.)
  • National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 6 - Earth Perturbations and Public Health Impacts (12 p.)
  • Bunnell et al., 2013, GIS and Health (11 p.)


    Week 3 - Natural Distribution of Elements    (Week 3 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due October 19, 2020)

    Week 3 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Alloway, 2005, Bioavailability of Elements in Soil, in Selinus (26 p.)
  • Edmunds and Smedley, 1996, Groundwater geochemistry and health: an overview (15 p.)
  • Fordyce, 2007, Selenium Geochemistry and Health (4 p.)


    Week 4 - Anthropogenic Impacts    (Week 4 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due October 26, 2020)

    Class Slide Show: Weeks 1-4 Class Review - Key Concepts & Lessons Learned

    Week 4 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 4 - Anthropogenic (man-made) Factors (35 p.)
  • Eggers et al., 2015, Health Risk Associated with Uranium Mining on Tribal Lands (28 p.)
  • Finkelman et al., 2003, Case Study: Coal Combustion and Human Health in China, in Skinner and Berger (6 p.)


    Week 5 - Environmental Exposure and Health Risk    (Week 5 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due November 2, 2020)

    Week 5 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Centeno et al., 2013, Environmental Pathology (28 p.)
  • Nielsen and Jensen, 2005, Environmental Epidemiology, in Selinus, 2005 (12 p.)
  • Fowles et al., 2013, Environmental Medicine (19 p.)


    Week 6 - Geological Impacts on Nutrition    (Week 6 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due November 9, 2020)

    Week 6 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Combs, 2013, Geological Impacts on Nutrition (16 p.)
  • Knez and Graham, 2013, Nutrient Deficiencies and Soils (17 p.)
  • Oliver and Gregory, 2015, Soil-Food Security-Public Health (20 p.)


    Week 7 - Geologic Hazards and Public Health    (Week 7 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due November 16, 2020)

    Week 7 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Appleton, 2005, Radon in Air and Water, in Selinus, 2005 (36 p.)
  • Thornton, 1996, Sources and pathways of arsenic in the geologic environment (9 p.)
  • Grattan et al., 2003, Case Study: Human Sickness and Volcanic Eruptions, in Skinner and Berger (6 p.)


    Week 8 - Water Quality and Soil Nutrient Influences    (Week 8 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due November 23, 2020)

    Click here for week 8 Zoom Meeting video recording
    Class Slide Show: Weeks 5-8 Class Review - Key Concepts & Lessons Learned

    Week 8 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 4 - What we drink (20 p.)
  • Rubenowitz and Hiscock, 2005, Water Hardness and Health, in Selinus, 2005 (14 p.)
  • Brevik and Sauer, 2015, Soils and Human Health (12 p.)


    Week 9 - Antropogenic Pollution    (Week 9 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due November 30, 2020)

    Week 9 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • Fuge, 2005, Anthropogenic Sources, in Selinus, 2005 (18 p.)
  • Burke, 2016, Cadmium and Public Health, Balochistan, Case Study (8 p.)
  • Werner et al., 2015, Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Health Effects (15 p.)


    Week 10 - Atmospheric Processes; Effects of Dust and Volcanic Emissions    (Week 10 Key Term Review and Reading Summary due December 7, 2020)

    Open-Book Take-Home Final Exam will be distributed electronically Thursday December 3, Due for Moodle Upload Thursday Dec. 10, 11 PM
  • Click Here to Download ES420 Med Geo Take-Home, Open-Book Final Exam

    Week 10 Key Term Review Worksheet

  • National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 3 - What we breathe (20 p.)
  • Derbyshire, 2005, Natural Dust and Human Health, in Selinus, 2005 (22 p.)
  • Weinstein and Cook, 2005, Volcanic Emissions and Health, in Selinus, 2005 (24 p.)

    Related Web Links and Resources

    Med Geo - Glossary of Terms

    Overview of Medical Geology Curriculum at Western Oregon University (Powerpoint Slide Show; Updated Fall 2015)

    International Medical Geology Association (IMGA)
  • IMGA Publications

    Geological Society of America (GSA) - Geology and Health Division

    American Geophysical Union (AGU) GeoHealth Section

    MEDGEO 2019 8th Internationl Conference on Medical Geology: Guiyang, Guizhou, China
  • MEDGEO 2019 Technical Program

    In-Class Presentation Assignment

    Example Seminar Presentation Template (Geological Impacts on Nutrition)
  • Example Journal Article for Presentation Summary (Combs, 2013, Geological Impacts on Nutrition)

    Student Presentations Fall 2015
    Click Here for Final Seminar Topics and Student Presentation Schedule

    Click here for link to Capstone Seminar Instructions and Downloadable List of Papers
  • Student's Choice (Top Three Articles) Reading List (Final Choices Updated Sept. 14 - *.pdf file)
  • Click Here for Final Presentation Schedule (Updated October 12, 2015)

  • Ryan Blyleven, Geological Impacts on Nutrition
  • Pesa Coslow, Uranium Mining on Tribal Lands and Public Health
  • Patty Gonzalez Biorato, Geological factors in the emergence of infectious disease
  • Cindy Millan, Geology and Nutrition
  • Vanessa Rutherford, Mineralology in Bone

    Moodle Assignment Submission Instructions

    Upload Instructions:

    (1) Clicking on the link at the end of this section will take you to a web-based course management software called "Moodle".
    (2) Once at the site, choose the "Login" option at the upper right of the page.
    (3) Enter your WOU student server username (the one you use for WOU email or to get to your "H:\" drive).
    (4) Enter the last four digits of your student ID V-no. for the password (unless if you have already changed it).
    (5) Once you are logged in, look for the "Change Password" icon...but DON'T FORGET IT.
    (6) Scroll down your list of online classes; you are automatically enrolled in the Moodle course with your class registration.
    (7) Scroll to the topic/assignment section, and begin the submission process.
    (9) Make sure you print hard copies and make back-up files of your lab report materials; save back up files!

    Note: Pay attention to the availability and due dates.

    Click Here to Go to Moodle

    Instructions for Making Acrobat PDF Files and Compiling a Digital Lab Report

    Link to WOU Moodle News Page / Updates

    Writing Guides and Resources

    Example Reading Summary Style/Format to Model Fall 2014 (800-word Summary Format)

  • Example Style for Journal Reading Notes
  • Example Style for Article Summary
  • Student Work Sample Summer 2012

    Guidelines for Geowriting
    General Guide to Technical Writing for Earth Science Students
    Guide to Writing Scientific Abstracts

    Guide to Preparing Abstracts
    Reference Citation Method (use for all text/graphics)

    Example Article Summary
    Example Style for Journal Reading Notes

    Student Work Samples / Examples of Reading Notes and Summaries

    Rvi Summer 2012
    Mary W. Summer 2012

    ES408 Med Geo 2013 Take-Home Final Exam

    Reading Bibliographies / Journal Reference Lists

    Med Geo - Glossary of Terms
    2010 ES473 Academic Showcase Project (Updated April 22, 2010)
    International Association of Medical Geologists Reference List

    Class Readings - Downloadable Papers - Alphabetical Order by Author (*.pdf files)

    Abrahams, 2005, Geophagy and the involuntary ingestion of soil, in Selinus, 2005
    Alloway, 2005, Bioavailability of Elements in Soil, in Selinus
    Appleton, 2005, Radon in Air and Water, in Selinus, 2005
    Appleton, 2007, Radon: Sources, Health Risks, and Hazard Mapping
    Baumgartner et al., 2014, Highway proximity and black carbon from cookstoves as a risk factor for higher blood pressure in rural China (New Posting 2014)
    Berger, 2003, Overview / Linking of Health and Geology, in Skinner and Berger
    Boulos and LeBlond, 2016, New Perspectives in Geomedicine - Update (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Bowell et al., 1996a, Formation of cave salts and utilization by elephants in Kenya
    Bowell et al., 1996b, Biogeochemical factors affecting groundwater quality in Tanzania
    Bowman et al., 2003, Medical Geology - New Relevance in the Earth Sciences
    Bowman et al., 2003, Medical Geology - New Relevance in the Earth Sciences
    Brevik and Sauer, 2015, Soils and Human Health (New Posting 2015)
    Bultman, 2005, The ecology of soil-borne human pathogens, in Selinus, 2005
    Bunnell, 2004, Medical Geology: Emerging Discipline on the Ecosystem-Human Health Interface
    Bunnell et al., 2005, GIS in Human Health Studies, in Selinus, 2005
    Bunnell et al., 2013, GIS and Health(New Posting 2014)
    Bunnell, J. E., Finkelman, R. B., Centeno, J. A., and Selinus, 2007, Medical Geology: A globally emerging discipline
    Burke, 2016, Cadmium and Public Health, Balochistan, Case Study (new posting Fall 2016)
    Cavaleri, 2015, ALS / Alzheimers and Metal Exposure (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Centeno et al., 2005, Environmental Pathology, in Selinus, 2005
    Centeno et al., 2016, Medical Geology and Health - Status Overview (new posting Fall 2016)
    Centeno et al., 2013, Environmental Pathology(New Posting 2014)
    Centeno et al., 2007, Global Impacts of Geogenic Arsenic: A Medical Geology Research Case
    Combs, 2005, Geological Impacts on Nutritionin Selinus, 2005
    Combs et al., 2011, Selenium and Health (New Posting 2014)
    Combs, 2013, Geological Impacts on Nutrition (New Posting 2014)
    Conrad et al., 2017, Remote Sensing-Sea Surface Temperatures-Distribution of Bacteria in Oyster Meat (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Cook et al., 2004, Geological factors in the emergence of infectious disease
    Cook, 2013, Public Health and Geological Processes (New Posting 2014)
    Davies, 2003, Case Study: Geomedical Health Conditions in Africa
    Davies et al., 2005, Medical Geology perspectives, in Selinus
    Davies et al., 2013, Medical Geology Perspectives and Prospects(New Posting 2014)
    Derbyshire, 2003, Case Study: Natural Dust and Pneumoconiosis in Asia, in Skinner and Berger
    Derbyshire, 2005, Natural Dust and Human Health, in Selinus, 2005
    Derbyshire, 2007, Natural Minerogenic Dust and Human Health
    Dewalt et al., 2015, Lead and Arsenic in Soil Related to U.S. Housing (new posting Fall 2016)
    Dissanayake, 2005, Of stones and health - Medical geology in Sri Lanka
    Dissanayake and Chandrajith, 1996, Iodine in the environment and endemic goiter in Sri Lanka
    Eden and Sandoval, 2012, Iron Deficiency in Infants, U.S. (new posting Fall 2016)
    Edmunds and Smedley, 1996, Groundwater geochemistry and health: an overview
    Eggers et al., 2015, Health Risk Associated with Uranium Mining on Tribal Lands(New Posting 2015)
    Fang et al., 2015, Lead Occurrence in Soil and Agricultural Products in Coal Mining Regions(New Posting 2015)
    Finkelman, 2007, Health Impacts of Coal: Facts and Fallacies
    Finkleman et al., 200X, Medical geology - An emerging discipline
    Finkelman et al., 2003, Case Study: Coal Combustion and Human Health in China, in Skinner and Berger
    Finkleman et al., 2005, Medical geology - The emergence of a new discipline
    Frank, 2003, Molybdenosis Leading to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Swedish Moose, in Skinner and Berger
    Fordyce et al., 1996, Stream sediment, soil, and forage chemistry of cattle health in Zimbabwe
    Fordyce et al., 2003, Case Study: Natural Iodine Occurrence in Sri Lanka, in Skinner and Berger
    Fordyce, 2005, Selenium Deficiency and Toxicity, in Selinus, 2005
    Fordyce, 2007, Selenium Geochemistry and Health
    Fowles et al., 2005, Environmental Medicine, in Selinus, 2005
    Fowles et al., 2013, Environmental Medicine (New Posting 2014)
    Fuge, 2005, Anthropogenic Sources, in Selinus, 2005
    Fuge, 2005, Soils and Iodine Deficiency, in Selinus, 2005
    Fuge, 2007, Iodine Deficiency: An Ancient Problem in a Modern World
    Germine, 1987, Sepiolite Asbestos in New Jersey, Case Study (new posting Fall 2016)
    Giannossi, 2012, Mineralogy of Kidney Stones in Italy (new posting Fall 2018)
    Gomes and Silva, 2007, Minerals and clay minerals in medical geology
    Gough et al., 2003, Cadmium Accumulation in Browse Vegetation, Alaska - Implications for Animal Health, in Skinner and Berger
    Grattan et al., 2003, Case Study: Human Sickness and Volcanic Eruptions, in Skinner and Berger
    Guidotti, 2013, Toxicology (New Posting 2014)
    Guptill and Moore, 2013, Investigating Infectious Disease with Remote Sensing (New Posting 2014)
    Hahn et al., 2015, Radon Exposure, Geologic Materials and Lung Cancer (New Posting 2015)
    Hays and Shonkoff, 2016, Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Environmental Health (new posting Fall 2016)
    Hillerdal, 2003, Health Problems Related to Environmental Fibrous Minerals, in Skinner and Berger
    Hinkle and Pollette, 1999, Aresenic in Groundwater of the Willamette Basin
    Holmgren et al., 1993, Occurrence of Metals in Agricultural Soils, USA (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Hynds et al., 2014, Contamination of Groundwater Systems in the US and Canada by Enteric Pathogens (New Posting 2014)
    Jagai et al., 2017, Occurrence of Cancer and Environmental Factors (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Jjila et al., 2014, Geology and Health in Zimbabwe (New Posting Fall 2018)
    Jones, 2005, Animals and Medical Geology, in Selinus, 2005
    Knez and Graham, 2013, Nutrient Deficiencies and Soils (New Posting 2014)
    King et al., 2015, Geographic Clustering of Heavy Metals in Pregnant Women (new posting Fall 2016)
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 1 - Introduction and Overview
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 2 - Overview Geological Factors that Effect Human Health (Part 1)
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 2 - Overview Geological Factors that Effect Human Health (Part 2)
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 2 - Overview Geological Factors that Effect Human Health (Part 3)
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 3 - Other Natural (Environmental) Factors
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 4 - Anthropogenic (man-made) Factors
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 6 - Geospatial Distribution of Human Health and Disease
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 7-8 - Procedures and methods in Medical Geology
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 9 -Regional Medical Geology
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 10 - Applied Medical Geology and Case Studies
    Komatina, 2004, Chapter 11 - Economic Applications of Medical Geology in Health Care
    Li, 2007, Selenium Deficiency and Endemic Heart Failure in China: A Case Study of Biogeochemistry for Human Health
    Li et al., 2012, Arsenic-Selenium-Thelium Exposure in China (new posting Fall 2016)
    Lindh, 2005A, Biochemical Uptake of Chemical Elements, in Selinus, 2005
    Lindh, 2005B, Biological Functions of Elements, in Selinus, 2005
    Litvinstseva et al., 2014, Valley Fever Occurrence and Soil Bacteria in Washington State (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Lyles et al., 2008, Dust Exposure and Health Effects in Middle East (new posting Fall 2016)
    Manay, 2010, Developing Medical Geology in Uruguay: A Review (New Posting 2014)
    Martin et al., 2014, Arsenic Dust, Mining and Health Effects (New Posting 2015)
    Maskall and Thornton, 1996, Trace elements in Kenyan soils and implications for wildlife health
    Mills et al., 2013, Mass Arsenic Poisoning in Maine (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Moore-Nall, 2015, Uranium Mining on Tribal Lands and Public Health (New Posting 2015)
    Naidu and Nadebaum, 2003, Case Study: Natural Arsenic and Toxicity Problems, in Skinner and Berger
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 2 - Earth Processes and Human Physiology
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 3 - What we breathe
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 4 - What we drink
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 5 - What we eat
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 6 - Earth Perturbations and Public Health Impacts
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 7 - GIScience, Remote Sensing and Epidemiology
    National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 9 - Collaborative Research Opportunities
    Neal, 2003, Surface and Groundwater Quality and Human Health - Overview, in Skinner and Berger
    Neff, 1997, Marine Arsenic and Toxicology (New Posting 2018)
    Nicholson et al., 1996, Acid and gas contamination at Poas Volcano, Costa Rica
    Nielsen and Jensen, 2005, Environmental Epidemiology, in Selinus, 2005
    Nikel, 2006, Environmental Nickel and Toxicology (New Posting 2018)
    Nordberg and Cherian, 2013, Biological Responses of Elements (New Posting 2014)
    Oliver and Gregory, 2015, Soil-Food Security-Public Health (New Posting 2015)
    Orem et al., 2007, Health Effects of Toxic Organic Substances from Coal: Toward "Panndemic" Nephropathy
    Oregon Public Health Department, 2009, Sutherlin Valley Groundwater Arsenic Study
    Ozsvath, 2009, Fluoride and Environmental Health - A Review (Draft Manuscript) (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Pereira et al., 2007, Strengthening Environmental Health in Malaysia - Linking Medical Geology to Health and the Environment
    Pelfrene and Douay, 2017, Cadmium and Lead Smelter Dust Exposure, Northern France (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Plant et al., 1996, The role of geochemistry in environmental and epidemiological studies
    Plant et al., 2003, Global Environmental Geochemistry, in Skinner and Berger
    Prospero and Mayol, 2013, Understanding Impact of African Dust on the Carribbean Basin (New Posting 2014)
    Renner, 2010, Lead in Drinking Water (with reference to Portland, OR) (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Roman et al., 2010, An approach to the arsenic status in cardiovascular tissues of patients with coronary heart disease (New Posting 2014)
    Robbins and Harthill, 2003, Life in Copper Province, in Skinner and Berger
    Rubenowitz and Hiscock, 2005, Water Hardness and Health, in Selinus, 2005
    Safe, 1992, PCB Toxicology and the Environment (New Posting Fall 2018)
    Sato et al., 2000, Environmental Mercury and Toxicology (New Posting Fall 2018)
    Schoebelen et al., 2017, Arsenic in Wells and Groundwater, Iowa (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Selinus, 2003, Biogeochemical Monitoring in Medical Geology - Methods and Practice, in Skinner and Berger
    Selinus, 2004, Medical Geology: an emerging speciality
    Selinus, O., 2007, Medical Geology - An Opportunity for the Future
    Selinus and Frank, 2000, Chapter 10 - Medical Geology
    Selinus and Galgan, 1996, Biogeochemistry and metal biology
    Selinus et al., 2007, The Medical Geology Revolution
    Selinus et al., 2008, Medical Geology - A new future for geology
    Shahbazi et al., 2013, A review on natural background radiation (New Posting 2014)
    Singh, 200X, Theoretical Basis For Medical Geology
    Skinner, 2003, Geochemistry and Vertebrate Bones, in Skinner and Berger
    Skinner, 2005, Mineralology in Bone, in Selinus, 2005
    Skinner, 2007, Introduction to Medical Geology (new version) (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Smedley and Kinniburgh, 2005, Arsenic in Groundwater and the Environment, in Selinus, 2005
    Steinnes, 2003, Biogeochemical Cycling of Selenium and Iodine - Implications for Geomedicine, in Skinner and Berger
    Stone and Edmunds, 2014, Naturally-high nitrate in unsaturated zone sand dunes above the Stampriet Basin, Namibia (New Posting 2014)
    Tateo and Summa, 2007, Element mobility in clays for healing use
    Thornton, 1996, Sources and pathways of arsenic in the geologic environment
    Tsing et al., 2007, Blackfoot Disease in Taiwan: Its Link with Inorganic Arsenic Exposure from Drinking Water
    Wang et al., 2006, Arsenic concentrations in Chinese coals
    Weinstein and Cook, 2005, Volcanic Emissions and Health, in Selinus, 2005
    Weinstein and Cook, 2007, Epidemiological Transitions and the Changing Face of Medical Geology
    Weinstein and Selinus, 200X, Nature and Medicine - A break through for human health
    Werner et al., 2015, Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Health Effects (new posting Fall 2016)
    Whanger et al., 1977, Aresenic in Oregon Waters
    Wilson, 2015, Arsenic Consumption in the U.S. (new posting Fall 2016)
    Wright et al., 2012, The impact of solar ultraviolet radiation on human health in sub-Saharan Africa (New Posting 2014)
    Wu et al., 2017, Environmental Health Priorities - Overview (New Posting Fall 2017)
    Wuyi et al., 2003, Case Study: Aresenic and Selenium Toxicity, in Skinner and Berger

    Thematic Units

    Unit 1 - Introduction to Medical Geology
  • Bowman et al., 2003, Medical Geology - New Relevance in the Earth Sciences
  • Bunnell, J. E., Finkelman, R. B., Centeno, J. A., and Selinus, 2007, Medical Geology: A globally emerging discipline
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 1 - Introduction and Overview
  • Selinus, 2004, Medical Geology: an emerging speciality
  • Selinus et al., 2008, Medical Geology - A new future for geology

    Unit 2 - Geologic Factors and Human Health
  • Reading Summary 1 Centeno et al, 2013, Environmental Pathology
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 2 - Overview Geological Factors that Effect Human Health (Part 1)
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 2 - Overview Geological Factors that Effect Human Health (Part 2)
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 2 - Overview Geological Factors that Effect Human Health (Part 3)
  • National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 2 - Earth Processes and Human Physiology
  • National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 6 - Earth Perturbations and Public Health Impacts

    Unit 3 - Water Resources and Biogeochemistry
  • Edmunds and Smedley, 1996, Groundwater geochemistry and health: an overview
  • National Research Council, 2007, Chapter 4 - What we drink
  • Lindh, 2005B, Biological Functions of Elements, in Selinus, 2005

    Unit 4 - Anthropogenic Factors and Regional Medical Geology
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 4 - Anthropogenic (man-made) Factors
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 6 - Geospatial Distribution of Human Health and Disease
  • Plant et al., 2003, Global Environmental Geochemistry, in Skinner and Berger
  • Weinstein and Cook, 2007, Epidemiological Transitions and the Changing Face of Medical Geology

    Unit 5 - Case Studies in Medical Geology
  • Abrahams, 2005, Geophagy and the involuntary ingestion of soil, in Selinus, 2005
  • Appleton, 2007, Radon: Sources, Health Risks, and Hazard Mapping
  • Bultman, 2005, The ecology of soil-borne human pathogens, in Selinus, 2005
  • Centeno et al., 2007, Global Impacts of Geogenic Arsenic: A Medical Geology Research Case
  • Derbyshire, 2007, Natural Minerogenic Dust and Human Health
  • Dissanayake and Chandrajith, 1996, Iodine in the environment and endemic goiter in Sri Lanka
  • Finkelman, 2007, Health Impacts of Coal: Facts and Fallacies
  • Fordyce et al., 2003, Case Study: Natural Iodine Occurrence in Sri Lanka, in Skinner and Berger
  • Fordyce, 2007, Selenium Geochemistry and Health
  • Frank, 2003, Molybdenosis Leading to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Swedish Moose, in Skinner and Berger
  • Fuge, 2007, Iodine Deficiency: An Ancient Problem in a Modern World
  • Gomes and Silva, 2007, Minerals and clay minerals in medical geology
  • Grattan et al., 2003, Case Study: Human Sickness and Volcanic Eruptions, in Skinner and Berger
  • Hillerdal, 2003, Health Problems Related to Environmental Fibrous Minerals, in Skinner and Berger
  • Thornton, 1996, Sources and pathways of arsenic in the geologic environment

    Archived Team Building Field Trip

    Med Geo 2016 - Team Building and Field Guide to Deschutes River

    Introductory Pre-Trip Readings
  • Bunnell, J. E., Finkelman, R. B., Centeno, J. A., and Selinus, 2007, Medical Geology: A globally emerging discipline
  • Komatina, 2004, Chapter 1 - Introduction and Overview

    Introductory Reading / Review Questions