CUMEX: a cumulative hazard index for assessing limiting exposures to environmental pollutants

Abstract

A hazard index methodology called CUMEX has been developed for limiting human exposure to environmental pollutants. Hazard index is defined as Q/Q. where Q is exposure or dose to total-body, organ or tissue from all environmental pathways and Q. is a limit which should not be exceeded because of health risk to humans. Mathematical formulations for hazard indices ire developed for each sampling medium corresponding to each effluent type. These hazard indices are accumulated into composite indices such that total human intake or dose would not exceed the health risk limit. Mathematical formulation for composite hazard indices or CUMEX indices for multiple pollutants are presented. An example CUMEX application to cadmium release from a smelter complex in East Helena, Montana demonstrates details of tne methodology for a single pollutant where human intake occurs through inhalation and ingestion. v TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES xi LIST OF APPENDICES xiii CONCLUSION APPENDIX t. MODIFICATIONS OF TERMOO APPENDIX II. CADMIUM REVIEW REFERENCES 59 vili LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 3.4.1 Average cadmium concentrations 3.4.2 The average daily intake of cadmium as a function of diet for the U.S. and the study site in Helena, Montana .... 20 4.1.1.1 Source data for East Helena smelter area 22 4.1.2.1 Deposition of cadmium around Helena smelter area 24 4.1.2.2 Air concentrations of cadmium around Helena smelter area 25 4.1.2.3 Deposition of cadmium around Helena smelter area 39 4.1.3.1 Cadmium concentrations in area around East Helena .... 31 4.2.2.1 Equilibrium cadmium concentrations in various compartments 33 4.2.2.2 Equilibrium intakes by reference man S3 ix LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGt 2.2.1 Block diagram of the terrestrial food pathways 4.1.2.1 Average deposition of cadmium (5i_) around East Helena smelter (mg/m 2 /month) 4.1.2.2 Average air concentration of cadmium (5") around East

Hazard index for underground toxic material

“…According to Walsh et al (1977), the ratios C p /C A and C/C are not simply transfer coefficients; rather, they are rat.irs of concentrations of one compartment to another based on all transfer pathways. This problem is circumvented by determining a hazard index for each environmental compartment as though it were the only contaminated compartment.…”

“…The CUMEX index (Walsh et al, 1977) is an extension of the CUEX index to nonradioactive pollutants. It has been employed to set restrictions on cadmium emissions from copper smelters.…”

Safety indices and their application to nuclear waste management safety assessment

“…The first, here called HM1, attempts to account for man's exposure and consumption of radionuclides. HMl is defined below (Walsh, et al 1977).…”

Composite hazard index for assessing limiting exposures to environmental pollutants: application through a case study

“…It is excreted from the body extremely slowly, accumulating to potentially toxic levels when intake is sufficient. As an environmental pollutant of increasing importance due to increasing commercial use and fossil fuel combustion and as a pollutant about which health effects data are available, cadmium is well suited for testing the methodology (7,9,10).…”

“…pends upon knowledge of biological effects of the particular environmental pollutants of concern. Selection of kidney cortex as the critical tissue for cadmium is based on a review of cadmium toxicity (9).…”