EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

Dr Norlen Mohamed
M.D, M.COMM.MED (ENV.
HEALTH)
Environmental Health Unit
Disease Control Division

DEFINITIONS
Exposure
The contact with a chemical, biological, or physical
agent at the boundary of the body over a specified
time.

Exposure assessment
Is the determination or estimation of the route,
magnitude, frequency, duration, and characteristics of
the exposed population.

DEFINITIONS (cont.)
Exposure Pathway
How a substance moves from the source to the receptor (in this
case, people).

Exposure Route
How a substance contacts the body and results in an internal
dose (inhalation, ingestion, dermal penetration).

Dose
Internal Dose: the amount of a substance crossing one of the
route barriers into the body
Biologically-effective dose: the amount of a substance reaching
a target organ.

Exposure Elements
contaminant
source
transport and
transformation
exposure point
media

concentration in
Air, water, soil,
food

exposure
route

Inhalation
Ingestion
Dermal

receptor

Intake

Exposure Assessment
Assessment objectives
To determine the route of exposure
Inhalation, ingestion, dermal route

To establish the magnitude of exposure

To estimate the frequency of exposure
To identify the characteristics of exposed
population

Exposure Assessment
Assessment objectives
To determine the route of exposure
To consider total intake from all environmental
media (air, food, water, soil)
To consider total intake through all route of
exposure (Inhalation, ingestion, dermal)

From:
Paustenbach, DJ.
(2000) The practice of
exposure assessment:
a state-of-the-art
review. J Toxicol Env
Health, 3:179-291

Lifetime cancer risk = CSF x CDI

Where to get this?

RfD or RfC = HI

Where to get this?

How to get this?
EXPOSURE
ASSESSMENT

Information needed for HRA

Toxicity Data
Hazard
-type of toxicity

dose-response
-RfD, NOAEL
-CSF

Risk
Estimation

Data Input

Exposure Data

Contaminants
levels in
Env. media

Consumption
Data

pop.at
Risk

Estimating Intake
For different route of
exposure
Inhalation Ingestion Dermal

DATA INPUT
Exposure Data

Contaminants
levels in
Env. media

Consumption
Data

Monitoring data
-FQC
-Drinking Water
-Air
-rivers

National dietary
Consumption
Data

Survey
Modeling

Site specific
Survey data

Pop.at
Risk

Who?
Where?

Estimating Intake
For different route of
exposure
Inhalation Ingestion Dermal

Inhalation of airborne particulates

Intake (mg/kg-day) =

CAP x IR x ET x EF x ED
(BW x AT)

CAP = chemical conc in air (mg/m3)

IR = Inhalation Rate (m3/day)
ET = Exposure time (hours / 24hrs)
EF = Exposure Frequency (days/year)
ED = Exposure Duration (years)
BW = Body Weight (kg)
AT = Averaging Time (period over which exposure averaged in days)

Estimating Intake
For different route of
exposure
Inhalation Ingestion Dermal

Ingestion of contaminated food (eg: vegetables)

Intake (mg/kg-day) =

CAP x IR x FI x EF x ED
(BW x AT)

CAP = chemical concentration in food (mg/kg)

IR = Ingestion Rate (kg/meal)
FI = Fraction Ingested from contaminated area (0 to 1)
EF = Exposure Frequency (days/year)
ED = Exposure Duration (years)
BW = Body Weight (kg)
AT = Averaging Time (period over which exposure averaged in days)

Estimating Intake
For different route of
exposure
Inhalation Ingestion Dermal

Ingestion of contaminated food (eg: vegetables)

Intake (mg/kg-day) =

CAP x CF x SA x AF X EF x ED
(BW x AT)

CAP = chemical concentration in soil (mg/kg soil)

CF = Conversion Factor
SA = Skin surface area available for contact (cm2/event)
AF = soil to skin adhere factor
ABS= Absorption Factor ranging from 0 to 1
EF = Exposure Frequency (event/year)
ED = Exposure Duration (years)
BW = Body Weight (kg)
AT = Averaging Time (period over which exposure averaged in days)

Example kk

Exposure Assessment
Assessment objectives
To identify the characteristics of exposed
population
Size
Age group
Sex
Ethnicity
Location
Health status

SUMMARY OF EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

Hazard

Concentration
In env. media
Air

Food

routes

water Soil

inhala
tion

CDI for
each
route
inges dermal
tion

CDII
CDIO
CDID

Total
CDI