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This volume is part of the ongoing review of the underlying scientific bases for decision-making in chemical risk assessment by International Programme on Chemical Safety. It involves specific consideration of the area of dose-response assessment in the evaluation of information from toxicological studies in animals and from human clinical and epidemiological studies. It covers toxicants with threshold effects and those for which there may be no practical threshold, such as substances that are genotoxic and carcinogenic. The discussions are concerned with that subset of cause-effect relationships commonly referred to as dose-response models, which are typically used to characterize the biological effects of intentional (e.g. drugs and nutrients) and unintentional (e.g. contaminants) exposure to chemicals.This report is intended primarily to provide descriptive guidance for risk assessors in using dose-response modelling in hazard characterization. It will also provide mathematical modellers with an appreciation of issues to be considered when modelling in the context of the risk assessment process. Risk managers will be able to obtain a general understanding of the applications and limitations of dose-response modelling. For both risk assessors and risk managers, some considerations for communicating the results of risk assessments that use dose-response modelling are presented.

In the 1970s the world became aware of a huge danger: the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer by CFCs escaping into the atmosphere, and the damage this could do to human health and the food chain. So great was the threat that by 1987 the UN had succeeded in coordinating an international treaty to phase out emissions; which, over the following 15 years has been implemented. It has been hailed as an outstanding success. It needed the participation of all the parties: governments, industry, scientists, campaigners, NGOs and the media, and is a model for future treaties. This volume provides the authoritative and comprehensive history of the whole process from the earliest warning signs to the present. It is an invaluable record for all those involved and a necessary reference for future negotiations to a wide range of scholars, students and professionals.

This new volume in the Environmental Health Criteria (EHC) Series provides a systematic analysis of the scientific principles to be considered in assessing health risks in children; taking into account their unique susceptibilities. The terms children and child as used in this report include the stages of development from conception through adolescence. This new EHC builds on previous volumes addressing methodologies for assessing risks in children: EHC 30, Principles for Evaluating Health Risks to Progeny Associated with Exposure to Chemicals During Pregnancy (WHO, 1984) and EHC 59, Principles for Evaluating Health Risks from Chemicals During Infancy and Early Childhood: The Need for a Special Approach (WHO, 1986). The central focus of this volume is on the child (developing embryo, fetus, infant, etc.) rather than on a specific environmental agent, target organ, or disease. Thus, it addresses the difficult task of integrating all what is known about both exposure information, toxicity data, and health outcome at different life stages, which is especially challenging when data are limited for particular life stages (e.g., during pregnancy). The book will be useful to public health officials, research and regulatory scientists, and risk assessors.

This new volume in the Environmental Health Criteria Series presents an overview of dermal absorption and its consideration in the risk assessment of chemicals. It describes the methods available to assess dermal absorption, the significance of skin as a route of exposure and the interpretation of results of dermal absorption studies for risk assessment. In addition, it presents and discusses current topics of interest in the field of dermal absorption. This book will be useful to biology and toxicology scientists and researchers, as well as to regulatory authorities and the chemical industry.

The purpose of this book is to assess, evaluate, and give guidance on the role of elemental speciation and speciation analysis in human health hazard and risk assessment. The book is directed at risk assessors and regulators, to emphasize the importance of consideration of speciation in their deliberations. To date, this issue has not been a part of most hazard and risk assessments. Further aims of the publication are to encourage the analysis of speciation of elements to increase knowledge on the effect of speciation on mode of action and to increase understanding of health effects.