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Title: Risk assessment of oxidant gases and particulate air pollutants: Uncertainties and research needs

Journal Article · · Environmental Health Perspectives
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC (United States)
  2. EPA, Washington, DC (United States); and others

The assessment of risks to human health associated with exposure to oxidant air pollutants has not received adequate attention despite the recognized public health threat posed by the ubiquitous presence of these compounds in the environment. In this article, research needs and uncertainties at each of the steps in the risk assessment of oxidant air pollutants are identified: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. Many of these limitations and uncertainties arise at the interface between the laboratory and the regulatory arenas. Therefore, as a case study, relevant methodologic problems associated with the application of experimental findings to the risk assessment of respirable dusts are also discussed. These issues include the extrapolation of animal data to the human case and extrapolation from high-dose to environmentally relevant, low-level exposures. 38 refs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
494242
Report Number(s):
CONF-9308288-; ISSN 0091-6765; TRN: 97:002099-0006
Journal Information:
Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 102, Issue Suppl.10; Conference: Conference on oxygen radicals and lung injury, Morgantown, WV (United States), 30 Aug - 2 Sep 1993; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English