Exposure Factors Resources: Contrasting EPA's Exposure Factors Handbook With International Sources (Journal Article)
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Efforts to compile and standardize exposure human factors have resulted in the development of a variety of resources available to the scientific community. For example, the U.S. EPA developed the Exposure Factors Handbook and Child-specific Exposure Factors Handbook to promote consistency among various exposure assessment activities in which the U.S. EPA is involved. The handbooks are compilations of human exposure factor data, including physiological data (e.g., body weights, inhalation rates, skin surface areas, life expectancy), behavioral data (e.g., water, food, and non-dietary ingestion rates; activity/time use patterns and consumer product use), and other factors (e.g., building characteristics). Other countries have engaged in similar efforts to compile and standardize exposure factors for use in exposure and risk assessments. For example, the ExpoFacts database contains data for 30 European countries. Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada, and Taiwan have developed, or are developing, documents that provide exposure factors data relevant to their populations. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of some of the available exposure factors resources and to explore some of the similarities and differences between the U.S. EPA Exposure Factors Handbook and selected other international resources.