ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS AND HUMAN EXPOSURE

Environmental transport, distribution and transformation Environmental levels and human exposure Kinetics and metabolism in laboratory animals and humans Effects on laboratory mammals and in vitro test systems Effects on humans... 

ELICC - Dioxins PCBs Environmental Levels and Human Exposure in Candidate Countries European Commission, Brussels REFERENCE ENV.C.2/SE 2002/0085... 

No information was located on any on-going studies on the fate and transport of bromomethane. However, two studies related to human exposure to bromomethane are being supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and conducted at the University of California, Davis. One project will analyze bromomethane residues on foods, and the second will quantitate exposure levels of field workers to bromomethane and develop appropriate procedures to minimize exposure from this source. Remedial investigations and feasibility studies at NPL sites that contain bromomethane will provide further information on environmental concentrations and human exposure levels near waste sites. 

Remedial investigations and feasibility studies at NPL sites that contain chloroform will also provide further information on environmental concentrations and human exposure levels near waste sites. 

US EPA, 2000. Exposure and human health assessment of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (TCDD) and related compounds Part I. Estimating exposure to dioxin-like compounds. Properties, Environmental levels, and Background Exposure, vol. 3. (EPA/ 600/P-00/001 Be). 

Llobet JM, Granero S, Schuhmacher M, et al. 1998a. Biological monitoring of environmental pollution and human exposure to metals in Tarragona, Spain. II. Levels in autopsy tissues. Trace Elem Electrolytes 15(l) 44-49. 

PBPK models improve the pharmacokinetic extrapolations used in risk assessments that identify the maximal (i.e., the safe) levels for human exposure to chemical substances (Andersen and Krishnan 1994). PBPK models provide a scientifically sound means to predict the target tissue dose of chemicals in humans who are exposed to environmental levels (for example, levels that might occur at hazardous waste sites) based on the results of studies where doses were higher or were administered in different species. Figure 3-4 shows a conceptualized representation of a PBPK model. 

In environmental health studies conducted near four NPL sites (plus a comparison area for each), ATSDR collected lead concentration data from both environmental media and human body fluids to estimate low-level exposure risk and to document the magnitude of human exposure to lead near those sites. Environmental samples collected at participants homes included drinking water, yard soil, house dust, and house paint body fluids collected from participants included venous blood and urine specimens. For the four sites, mean concentrations of lead in soil ranged from 317 to 529 mg/kg, and mean concentrations of lead in dust ranged from 206 to 469 mg/kg (ATSDR 1995). 

Abstract Phthalates are chemicals that have been used for over 80 years in large quantities due to their wide range of applications, mainly in the plastic industry. For many years, these compounds were not considered dangerous for humans due to their low toxicity shown in the preliminary studies and their low persistence. However, research conducted in recent years has evidenced their activity as endocrine disrupters, and they are now considered as emerging contaminants and included in the priority list of dangerous substances in the legislation of many countries. This chapter provides an overview on the properties, major uses, emission sources, environmental and human levels, current legislation, behavior and fate of phthalates, and their metabolites, with special emphasis on their toxicity and human exposure. 

Remedial investigations and feasibility studies conducted at the 15 NPL sites known to be contaminated with 2-hexanone will add to the available database in the categories of exposure levels in humans, exposure levels in the environmental media, and exposure registries. 

Antizar-Ladislao, B. 2008. Environmental levels, toxicity and human exposure to tributyltin (TBT)-contaminated marine environment. A review. Environ. Int. 34 292-308. 

Information on the level of human exposure and production, environmental fate, and other public-health-related parameters can be used independently or jointly for priority setting. 

The environmental chemistry of chlorinated paraffins was first reviewed in the Handbook of Environmental Chemistry by Zitko [4]. There have been many other reviews, especially for environmental and human exposure assessment, beginning with a report prepared for the US Environmental Protection Agency by Howard et al. [5] and more recently by Mukherjee [6], Environment Canada [2], UK Dept of the Environment [7], the World Health Organization [8], and by Tomy et al. [9], In addition to environmental chemistry aspects, the above reviews have covered the toxicity and bio accumulation of PCAs. This chapter will focus on the recent advances in knowledge of the physical properties, degradation, analysis, and environmental levels of PCAs with special emphasis on the Cio-Cu group. 

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