Focusing on Children's Inhalation Dosimetry and Health Effects for Risk Assessment: An Introduction

Abstract

Substantial effort has been invested in improving children's health risk assessment in recent years. However, the body of scientific evidence in support of children's health assessment is constantly advancing, indicating the need for continual updating of risk assessment methods. Children's inhalation dosimetry and child-specific adverse health effects are of particular concern for risk assessment. When focusing on this topic within children's health, key issues for consideration include (1) epidemiological evidence of adverse effects following children's exposure to air pollution, (2) ontogeny of the lungs and effects on dosimetry, (3) estimation and variability of children's inhalation rates, and (4) current risk assessment methodologies for addressing children. In this article, existing and emerging information relating to these key issues are introduced and discussed in an effort to better understand children's inhalation dosimetry and adverse health effects for risk assessment. While much useful evidence is currently available, additional research and methods are warranted for improved children's health risk assessment.

The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of Jessica Sanford and Bob Lordo from Battelle who, under contract with the U.S. EPA, conducted the analysis of ventilation rates presented in section III of this article, and Laurie Schuda, who served as the task manager for the analysis.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and are not necessarily representative of an official position of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, or the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

Notes

International Commission on Radiological Protection. 1994. Human respiratory tract for model for radiological protection. London: ICRP Pub. No. 66.