Risk Assessment

Question 1

what are the objectives of a risk assessment and examples

Answer 1

1. Balance of risks and benefits (drugs, pesticides); 2. set target levels of risk assessment (contaminants in water and food); 3. set priorities for program activities (regulatory agencies, manufacturers, environmental/consumer organizations). 4. estimate residual risks and extent of risk reduction after steps are taken to reduce risks

Question 2

what are the main parts to risk assessment?

Answer 2

hazard ID; D-R relationship; exposure assessment; once all those have been found–> risk characterization

Question 3

what question (s) are asked when doing hazard ID, and what kind of tests are performed?

Answer 3

does the agent cause adverse effects?

• -structure activity analysis
• -in vitro tests (Ames test)
• -animal bioassays
• -epidemiology

Question 4

what question (s) are asked during DR assessment, and what tests are preformed?

Answer 4

what is the relationship between D-R

–test for susceptibility age; genetics; poor metabolisers

Question 5

what question (s) are asked during exposure assessment, and what tests are preformed?

Answer 5

what types, levels, and duration of exposures are experienced or anticipated?
–collect water, air, soil, etc and analyse

Question 6

what question (s) are asked during risk characterization?

Answer 6

what is the nature and estimated incidence of adverse effects in a given population? how robust is the evidence? how certain is the evaluation? are susceptible populations characterized? is there a relevant mode of action?

Question 7

what are the regulatory options of risk manage?

Answer 7

control; substitute; inform

Question 8

what is a common safety factor and how is it applied? (include exception)

Answer 8

100–> NOAEL/100; sometimes if data is really inadequate, a safety factor of 1000 is used;
10 from species differences, 10 for genetic variation
– equals ADI and TDi