Health Risk Assessment of Chlorobenzenes in the Air of Residential Houses Using Probabilistic Techniques

Abstract

A human health risk assessment was performed to evaluate the risks due to chlorobenzenes in the air of residential houses. Chlorobenzenes found in the air in the toilets, rooms, and outdoors of three houses in Brisbane, Australia, were sampled by trapping on Tenax TA and analyzed using an automated thermal desorption (ATD)–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. Concentrations of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) in the rooms, toilets, and outdoors were used as the exposure concentrations (E), while those in the toilets (μg/m³) were used as the high-exposure concentrations (HE). The exposure concentrations were transformed into exposure doses (EXD_E and EXD_HE). Dose-response data from the literature for a range of adverse effects in animals were obtained and exposure doses were expressed as human equivalent dose (HED). The HED values were higher than the EXD_E and EXD_HE values for all adverse effects, and a hazard quotient was calculated that indicated a low level of risk with the high-exposure environment. The lifetime average daily doses (LADDs) for a wide range of adverse effects observed in human case studies were estimated and compared to the doses in the high-exposure (HE) situation. Using the Monte Carlo simulation technique the probabilities of risk quotients higher than unity ranged from 0.02 to 0.26. This evaluation indicated that 1,4-DCB posed low risks to general residents; however, for individuals with susceptible characteristics and exposure to elevated 1,4-DCB, the probability of adverse responses was moderate to high.