Scenarios described below can lead to exposure and perhaps some degree of health risk. Your assignment is to take one of these topics and conduct a risk assessment that covers:
Problem Formulation / Hazard Assessment: an overview of the toxic effects of the chemical and potential for exposure (likely, unlikely, theoretical) and type of population exposed (children? workers? general public including pregnant women?) in this scenario. State the goal of the risk assessment and your overall approach/focus. This section can serve as the introduction of your paper.
Toxicity Assessment: include dose-response assessment for key effects plus a description of potency values established by EPA/IRIS, ATSDR, CalEPA or other regulatory bodies, as available. Include the basis for potency values used in your assessment (key studies, how value derived from key studies, regulatory agencies from which potency values available – do they agree with one another?) Also present any workplace standards that have been derived (OSHA, ACGIH, NIOSH) if these are relevant to your scenario.
Exposure Assessment: provide a quantitative estimate of how much exposure to your chemical is possible from the specific scenario(s) you are evaluating; doses should be presented on a mg chemical/kg body weight/day basis if oral exposure is key pathway, or the time averaged inhalation exposure concentration in ug/m3, or the peak exposure concentration if concerned about acute inhalation effects.
Risk Characterization: put together exposure and toxicity information to characterize how risky the exposure scenario and/or set an exposure standard for human receptors in your scenario. Describe key uncertainties and variabilities that may affect your conclusions (e.g., risks to especially sensitive individuals – who are these, how much more sensitive might they be) and additional studies that are needed to improve confidence in the assessment.
Dibutyl phthalate has been found in a brand of deodorant at a concentration of 0.5%. Will daily use of this deodorant lead to unhealthy levels of DBP exposure?
