Principles for the Assessment of Risks to Human Health from Exposure to Chemicals (1999) International Programme on Chemical Safety, The World Health Organization, Washington, D.C., Chapter 4.

Principles and Methods for Evaluating The Toxicity of Chemicals: Part 1 (1978) International Programme on Chemical Safety, The World Health Organization, Washington, D.C., Chapters 1-2. 

 

Principles of Toxicokinetic Studies

Biomarkers & Risk Assessment: Concepts & Principles

Chemical Finder Index

Toxicity Profiles

Students will:

1. Be able to distinguish between toxicity assessment and hazard identification.
2. Understand the process and concepts associated with extrapolating animal study data to human populations.
3. Identify sources of inter-species and inter-individual variations in toxicity characteristics.
4. Recognize uncertainty factors in risk assessment.
5. Become literate in the use of terms and acronyms associated with toxicity assessment and risk assessment.

Assignment for Class Three:

1. What is the "non-threshold" assumption?
2. Is uncertainty greater of lesser in dose - response assessment (aka Toxicity Assessment) than in hazard identification? Please explain.
3. Two principal areas are considered when interpreting data on toxicity acquired in animal species in relation to human risk. Identify these areas of consideration.
4. Identify the sources of inter-species and inter-individual variations in toxicokinetics.
5. Identify and describe two sources of species differences.
6. Explain the process of extrapolating findings from animal studies to human populations.
7. Various national and international agencies and organizations have derived levels of exposure considered to present minimal or no risk for non-neoplastic effects to the general population. Identify two of these classification schemes. 
8. Define NOAEL, LOAEL and benchmark dose/concentration.
9. How are uncertainty factors incorporated into extrapolating animal risk data to human populations?
10. Uncertainty typically addresses 5 different factors. Please identify and describe each factor.
11. In what way is the use of linear extrapolation typically criticized?
12. What do dose - effect curves demonstrate?
13. How have some toxicologists differentiated between the concepts of a "dose" and a "response"?
14. What does the acronym LED stand for?
15. The doses in the organs and tissues of interest may be estimated in what ways?