Improving the integration of epidemiological data into human health risk assessment: What risk assessors told us they want.

One of the practical contributions of epidemiology studies is to inform risk assessment and management to protect public health. However, there is a perception among some that environmental and occupational epidemiology is falling short of satisfying the needs of risk assessors. The specific reasons for this are not clearly understood.

Physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modeling of propiconazole using a machine learning-enhanced read-across approach for interspecies extrapolation.

A significant challenge in the traditional human health risk assessment of agrochemicals is the uncertainty in quantifying the interspecies differences between animal models and humans. To work toward a more accurate and animal-free risk determination, new approaches such as physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modeling have been used to perform dosimetry extrapolation from animals to humans. However, the regulatory use and acceptance of PBK modeling is limited for chemicals that lack in vivo animal pharmacokinetic (PK) data, given the inability to evaluate models.

Considerations towards the better integration of epidemiology into quantitative risk assessment.

Environmental epidemiology has proven critical to study various associations between environmental exposures and adverse human health effects. However, there is a perception that it often does not sufficiently inform quantitative risk assessment. To help address this concern, in 2017, the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute initiated a project engaging the epidemiology, exposure science, and risk assessment communities with tripartite representation from government agencies, industry, and academia, in a dialogue on the use of environmental epidemiology for quantitative risk assessment and public health decision making.

Evaluating the perceptions of pesticide use, safety, and regulation and identifying common pesticide-related topics on Twitter.

Synthetic pesticides are important agricultural tools that increase crop yield and help feed the world's growing population. These products are also highly regulated to balance benefits and potential environmental and human risks. Public perception of pesticide use, safety, and regulation is an important topic necessitating discussion across a variety of stakeholders from lay consumers to regulatory agencies since attitudes toward this subject could differ markedly.

Review of techniques and studies characterizing the release of carbon nanotubes from nanocomposites: Implications for exposure and human health risk assessment.

Composites made with engineered nanomaterials (nanocomposites) have a wide range of applications, from use in basic consumer goods to critical national defense technologies. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a popular addition in nanocomposites because of their enhanced mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Concerns have been raised, though, regarding potential exposure and health risks from nanocomposites containing CNTs because of comparisons to other high aspect ratio fibers.

Impacts of geocoding uncertainty on reconstructed PFOA exposures and their epidemiological association with preeclampsia.

Many epidemiology studies have investigated associations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) exposures with a variety of adverse health outcomes for participants in the C8 Health Project. The exposure concentrations (i.e.

Variability and epistemic uncertainty in water ingestion rates and pharmacokinetic parameters, and impact on the association between perfluorooctanoate and preeclampsia in the C8 Health Project population.

We recently utilized a suite of environmental fate and transport models and an integrated exposure and pharmacokinetic model to estimate individual perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) serum concentrations, and also assessed the association of those concentrations with preeclampsia for participants in the C8 Health Project (a cross-sectional study of over 69,000 people who were environmentally exposed to PFOA near a major U.S. fluoropolymer production facility located in West Virginia).

Impact of Exposure Uncertainty on the Association between Perfluorooctanoate and Preeclampsia in the C8 Health Project Population.

Background: Uncertainty in exposure estimates from models can result in exposure measurement error and can potentially affect the validity of epidemiological studies. We recently used a suite of environmental models and an integrated exposure and pharmacokinetic model to estimate individual perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) serum concentrations and assess the association with preeclampsia from 1990 through 2006 for the C8 Health Project participants.

Objectives: The aims of the current study are to evaluate impact of uncertainty in estimated PFOA drinking-water concentrations on estimated serum concentrations and their reported epidemiological association with preeclampsia.

C60 fullerene soil sorption, biodegradation, and plant uptake.

Assessments of potential exposure to fullerenes and their derivatives in the environment are important, given their increasing production and use. Our study focused on fate processes that determine the movement and bioavailability of fullerenes in soil. We evaluated the sorption, biodegradation, and plant uptake of C60 fullerene using (14)C-labeled C60 solutions in water produced by either solvent exchange with tetrahydrofuran or sonication/extended mixing in water.