Total Human Environmental Exposure

Butler JP, Post GB, Lioy PJ, et al. 1993. Assessment of carcinogenic risk from personal exposure to benzo(a)pyrene in the total human environmental exposure study (THEES). J Air Waste Manag Assoc 43 970-977. 

Lioy PL, Waldman JM, Greenberg A, et al. 1988. The total human environmental exposure study... 

The Eelative Contribution of Eeadfrom A.nthropogenic S ounces to the Total Human Eead Exposure in the Ended States EPA-600/D-86/184, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., Aug. 1986 (NTIS PB86-241015). 

Exposure Levels in Environmental Media. Because of the paucity of data on the levels of thorium in air, water, and food, there are conflicting reports on the importance of each medium to the total human dietary intake of this substance. Data on the levels of thorium in foods grown in contaminated areas, particularly in the vicinity of hazardous waste sites, are limited, and further development of these data will be useful. There is also a lack of air monitoring data around hazardous waste sites. 

Research Needs in Human Exposure A 5-Year Comprehensive Assessment (1990-1994) Total Human Exposure Research Council. Office of Research and Development. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC, 1988. 

The USEPA estimates that over 6000 facilities are currently operated as treatment, storage, or disposal facilities (TSDFs) regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which assigns the responsibility of corrective action to facility owners and operators and authorizes the USEPA to oversee corrective actions. Unlike the Superfund, RCRA responsibility is delegated to states. The USEPA and authorized states have completed initial assessment of potential environmental contamination at over 70% of RCRA facilities, as required by statute to address corrective action. Environmental contamination at many RCRA facilities is expected to be less severe than at Superfund sites however, the total number of RCRA facilities exceeds the number of Superfund sites. The USEPA developed a computer-based system known as the RCRA National Corrective Action Prioritization System (NCAPS) to help establish priorities for corrective action activities. Among the factors considered in NCAPS are the history of hazardous waste releases, the likelihood of human and environmental exposure, and the type and quantity of waste handle at the facility. 

Exposure Levels in Environmental Media. With the exception of occupational air, monitoring data on the concentrations of elemental phosphorus in nonoccupational air, drinking water, and total diet were not located. The estimated value for the total human intake of elemental phosphorus from various environmental media is not available. 

Ott, W.R. (1985). Total human exposure an emerging science focuses on humans as receptors of environmental pollution. Environ. Scl Technol, 19, 880-886. 

Pandian, M.D and E.J. Furtaw (1995). THERdbASE Total Human Exposure Relational Database and Advanced Simulation Environment, Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Developed under contract to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, NV, USA (website http //www.therd.com). 

Total human exposure Accounts for all exposures a person has to a specific contaminant, regardless of environmental medium or route of entry (inhalation, ingestion and dermal absorption). Sometimes, total exposure is used incorrectly to refer to exposure to all pollutants in an environment. Total exposure to more than one pollutant should be stated explicitly as such (NRC, 1991). 

The determination of the total platinum content in physiological fluids and tissues, both during clinical treatment or after environmental exposure, requires instrumental techniques of sufficient DLs and selectivities. ICP MS provides the most attractive DLs for platinum in biological samples, for example, 7.50 ng/L in human plasma ultrafiltrate after chemotherapy with cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin [119] 0.1 pg/mL in blood, serum, and ultrafiltrate samples after chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracyl [120] 26 pg/g in DNA isolated from cancer ovarian cells after different exposure times and concentrations of cisplatin [121] and 0.75 pg in DNA extracts from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tissues from patients treated with cisplatin [122] and 1.0 pg/L in serum, 0.1 pg/L in ultrafiltrate, and 2 pg/L in urine [123]. The ICP MS technique allowed detection of physiological levels of ft in the tmexposed human body 0.3-1.3 ng/L in blood (DL of 0.3 ng/L) [46] 0.48-7.7 ng/L in urine (DL of 0.24 ng/L) [47] and 0.778 ng/g... 

Since Herring Gulls and coho salmon accumulate these residues from their common food supply, it seemed logical to consider the human exposure routes thoroughly, particularly the food supply. An early study by Bennet 2 ) followed total non-occupational environmental exposure of PCB to humans. This study showed that for PCB the atmospheric pathway contaminates plants directly, livestock indirectly, and ultimately contributes the major human environmental dosage of PCB. Exposure from drinking water and the atmosphere directly are inconsequential relative to food exposure. A more recent modelling effort (1J7) for... 

However, the problem is greater in India as safety procedures and detoxification procedures advocated in developed countries are often not implemented totally. Human exposure to environmental chemicals can arise from inhalation, dermal contact, and ingestion of polluted water or food, especially those containing biomagnified toxic residues. The industrial and economic developments have changed the lifestyle of urban and rural populations considerably. This has also led to increased stress, thereby threatening health in general. 

Metal concentrations in human body fluids and tissues are frequently used as indicators of total human exposure to metals and their compounds. Such measurements have become an important tool in occupational and environmental medicine. 

Exposure Levels in Environmental Media. Information on exposure levels in the environment is relatively sparse. Although a number of atmospheric air levels have been reported, it would be useful to know more specifics about urban air levels. More extensive data on food and drinking water levels of di- -butyl phthalate would also be usefiil in assessing total human exposure. 

Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the National Priority Index (NPI) reporting list. A ranking and total hazard score was given based on health and environmental hazards and human and environmental exposure to the substance. Antimony and its compounds were ranked as 84 out of 400. The total hazard score, taking into account both human health and environmental criteria, is 2.3. (A score of 3 is very high, and 1 is low.)... 

Methods for Determining Parent Compounds and Degradation Products in Environmental Media. Analytical methods with the required sensitivity and accuracy are available for quantification of americium, both total and isotopic, in environmental matrices (see Table 7-2). Knowledge of the levels of americium in various environmental media, along with the appropriate modeling (see Chapters 3 and 5), can be used to evaluate potential human exposures through inhalation and ingestion pathways. 

Population Characterization. An important part of any exposure assessment is the development of a detailed and up-to-date human demographic data base for the area being studied. These data can provide the basis for estimates of subpopulations associated with different exposure pathways. In national exposure assessments it is common to use an average population density for the total U.S. or to simply distinguish between rural and urban densitites. In a geographic exposure assessment in which site-specific data on pollutant releases, environmental fate and ambient levels are measured or estimated, it is important to have equally detailed population data. Population breakdowns by age, sex, housing and... 

Holmes P, James KAF, Levy LS (2009) Is low-level environmental mercury exposure of concern to human health Sci Total Environ 408 171-182... 

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