Hazard Assessment and Contaminated Sites - Dealing with Contaminated Sites: From Theory Towards Practical Application - page 517

Chapter 12
Hazard Assessment and Contaminated Sites

Andrew Langley

Abstract Hazard Assessment is a key component of Human Health Risk
Assessment and is comprised of the steps of Hazard Identification and Dose-
response Assessment. Hazard Identification examines the capacity of a contaminant
to cause adverse health effects in humans and other animals using data from a range
of toxicological and epidemiological sources. Dose-response Assessment consid-
ers both qualitative and quantitative toxicological and epidemiological information
to estimate the incidence of adverse effects occurring in human populations at dif-
ferent exposure levels. The conclusions from Hazard Assessment are assessed with
those from Exposure Assessment to enable Risk Characterisation . This chapter pro-
vides an overview of the toxicological and epidemiological tools used for Hazard
Assessment to enable a broader understanding of the Risk Assessment of contami-
nated sites and the principles underlying the development of risk-based policy and
Soil Quality Standards.

Contents

12.1 Hazard Assessment and Contaminated Sites ....................... 519

12.2 Hazard Identification .....................................

520

12.3 Hazard Identification-Toxicology ..............................

521

Toxicity Testing - Major In Vivo Study Types ................

12.3.1 522

Important Issues in Toxicity Testing and Assessment ............ 12.3.2 523

12.3.3 Assessment of the Quality of the Data Characterising the Hazard ..... 525

12.3.4 Analysis and Evaluation of Toxicity Studies .................. 526

12.3.5 Analysis and Evaluation of Major Study Parameters .............

526