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Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is facing large challenges in managing environmental chemicals with increasingly complex requirements for assessing risk that push the limits of our current approaches. To address some of these challenges, the National Research Council (NRC) devel...

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Autores principales: Sheldon, Linda S., Cohen Hubal, Elaine A.
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 2009
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2721858/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19672394
http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0800407
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author Sheldon, Linda S.
Cohen Hubal, Elaine A.
author_facet Sheldon, Linda S.
Cohen Hubal, Elaine A.
author_sort Sheldon, Linda S.
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is facing large challenges in managing environmental chemicals with increasingly complex requirements for assessing risk that push the limits of our current approaches. To address some of these challenges, the National Research Council (NRC) developed a new vision for toxicity testing. Although the report focused only on toxicity testing, it recognized that exposure science will play a crucial role in a new risk-based framework. OBJECTIVE: In this commentary we expand on the important role of exposure science in a fully integrated system for risk assessment. We also elaborate on the exposure research needed to achieve this vision. DISCUSSION: Exposure science, when applied in an integrated systems approach for risk assessment, can be used to inform and prioritize toxicity testing, describe risks, and verify the outcomes of testing. Exposure research in several areas will be needed to achieve the NRC vision. For example, models are needed to screen chemicals based on exposure. Exposure, dose–response, and biological pathway models must be developed and linked. Advanced computational approaches are required for dose reconstruction. Monitoring methods are needed that easily measure exposure, internal dose, susceptibility, and biological outcome. Finally, population monitoring studies are needed to interpret toxicity test results in terms of real-world risk. CONCLUSION: This commentary is a call for the exposure community to step up to the challenge by developing a predictive science with the knowledge and tools for moving into the 21st century.
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spelling pubmed-27218582009-08-11 Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk Sheldon, Linda S. Cohen Hubal, Elaine A. Environ Health Perspect Commentary BACKGROUND: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is facing large challenges in managing environmental chemicals with increasingly complex requirements for assessing risk that push the limits of our current approaches. To address some of these challenges, the National Research Council (NRC) developed a new vision for toxicity testing. Although the report focused only on toxicity testing, it recognized that exposure science will play a crucial role in a new risk-based framework. OBJECTIVE: In this commentary we expand on the important role of exposure science in a fully integrated system for risk assessment. We also elaborate on the exposure research needed to achieve this vision. DISCUSSION: Exposure science, when applied in an integrated systems approach for risk assessment, can be used to inform and prioritize toxicity testing, describe risks, and verify the outcomes of testing. Exposure research in several areas will be needed to achieve the NRC vision. For example, models are needed to screen chemicals based on exposure. Exposure, dose–response, and biological pathway models must be developed and linked. Advanced computational approaches are required for dose reconstruction. Monitoring methods are needed that easily measure exposure, internal dose, susceptibility, and biological outcome. Finally, population monitoring studies are needed to interpret toxicity test results in terms of real-world risk. CONCLUSION: This commentary is a call for the exposure community to step up to the challenge by developing a predictive science with the knowledge and tools for moving into the 21st century. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 2009-08 2009-04-08 /pmc/articles/PMC2721858/ /pubmed/19672394 http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0800407 Text en http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from EHP may be reprinted freely. Use of materials published in EHP should be acknowledged (for example, ?Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives?); pertinent reference information should be provided for the article from which the material was reproduced. Articles from EHP, especially the News section, may contain photographs or illustrations copyrighted by other commercial organizations or individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from the holder of the copyright.
spellingShingle Commentary
Sheldon, Linda S.
Cohen Hubal, Elaine A.
Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk
title Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk
title_full Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk
title_fullStr Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk
title_full_unstemmed Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk
title_short Exposure as Part of a Systems Approach for Assessing Risk
title_sort exposure as part of a systems approach for assessing risk
topic Commentary
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2721858/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19672394
http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0800407
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