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RATE Exposure Assessment Modules - EXA 408, EXA 409

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EXA 408 – Interpreting Biomonitoring Data and Using Pharmacokinetic Modeling in Exposure Assessment Widespread acceptance and use of the CDC's National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) database, which, among other things, reports measured concentrations of environmental contaminants in blood and urine, has led to an expanded understanding of general population exposures in the United States. These biomonitoring data incorporate exposure from multiple pathways and sources and can help researchers characterize exposure and internal dose. This module will introduce the concept of biomonitoring and discuss the use of biomonitoring data with pharmacokinetic models to estimate dose. EXA 409 – Case Study: Lead Contamination and Local Exposure This class participation exercise is positioned at the end of the first day of exposure lectures, after a day or more of health assessment lectures, and is aimed at giving the class a break from the lecture format and applying some of the concepts in a fun, interactive format. A 15-minute lecture sets up the problem. Contamination of soil and drinking water wells has been discovered at a lead manufacturing facility. Follow-up testing confirmed the initial findings, and additional blood monitoring of children in the town has uncovered incidences of elevated blood lead levels. The lecture material includes the set-up, all of the monitoring data, and some background information on lead. Next, the class is broken up into four groups: the manufacturers, the environmental agency with regulatory jurisdiction, the local health department, and citizens/activists. The groups are told that 6 months have passed since the story first broke, and each group has had time to gather more information and prepare a presentation stating their position and proposing next steps at a town hall meeting. Topics that can be explored by the groups in their presentation include: environmental fate (how can the lead get into the wells?), natural background exposures, validity of the monitoring data, severity of the problem (including modeling of blood levels based on water levels), remediation and further data gathering requirements, drinking water restrictions and testing, and other related topics. Each group makes a 3-minute presentation at the town hall meeting, after which the local environmental agency passes a resolution on the issue. This exercise is followed by a discussion of the overall experience and issues encountered in developing and defending stakeholder positions.

Impact/Purpose

These methods documents will thoroughly describe the current state-of-the-science regarding the conduct of exposure assessments, specifically focusing on the interpretation of biomonitoring data, using pharmacokinetic models in exposure assessment, and a case study of lead contamination

Citation

McLanahan, E., J. Stanek, AND Allen Davis. RATE Exposure Assessment Modules - EXA 408, EXA 409. U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC, 2013.

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Last updated on July 29, 2013