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Development of a Relative Potency Factor (RPF) Approach for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Mixtures (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)
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Contact
- Norman Birchfield
- by phone at: 703-347-0174
- by fax at: 703-347-8699
- by email at: birchfield.norman@epa.gov
- by fax at: 703-347-8699
Downloads/Related Links
- Development of a Relative Potency Factor (RPF) Approach for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Mixtures (Draft September 2009) (PDF) (574 pp, 7 MB, about PDF)
- Charge to Reviewers (Draft September 2009) (PDF) (4 pp, 57 KB, about PDF)
- NASA Comments on PAH Mixtures (PDF) (2 pp, 30 KB, about PDF)
- NIOSH Comments on PAH Mixtures (PDF) (1 pp, 9 KB, about PDF)
- OMB Comments on PAH Mixtures (PDF) (9 pp, 89 KB, about PDF)
- DoD Comments on PAH Mixtures (PDF) (14 pp, 112 KB, about PDF)
- DoD Comments on PAH Mixtures (Charge to Reviewers) (PDF) (2 pp, 23 KB, about PDF)
Background
PAHs are of concern as potential human health hazards, because many PAHs are demonstrated tumorigenic agents in animal bioassays and are positive in tests for genotoxicity or DNA damage. PAHs occur in the environment primarily as complex mixtures generated from the combustion of substances containing carbon and hydrogen, and rarely occur in the environment as isolated entities. The draft Relative Potency Factor approach is not a reassessment of individual PAH carcinogenicity, but rather provides a methodology for estimating cancer risk from exposure to PAH mixtures by summing doses of component PAHs after scaling the doses (with RPFs) relative to the potency of an index PAH (i.e., benzo[a]pyrene). The cancer risk is then estimated using the dose-response curve for the index PAH.
History/Chronology
| Oct 2002 | EPA sponsored Peer Consultation Workshop on Approaches to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Health Assessment. |
| Nov 2009 | EPA hosted an interagency science consultation on the draft of the PAH Mixtures Approach. |
| Jan 2010 | SAB releases the names and biosketches of the "Short List Candidates" for the upcoming PAH Mixtures RPF Approach Review Panel. |
| Feb 2010 | EPA released the draft of the PAH Mixtures Approach and the charge for public review and comment. |
Next Steps
Following external peer review the draft report will be revised taking into consideration external peer review and public comments, will undergo a final EPA internal review and a review by a science discussion with other federal agencies and White House offices, then will be posted to the IRIS Web site.
Citation
U.S. EPA. Development of a Relative Potency Factor (RPF) Approach for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Mixtures (Interagency Science Consultation Draft). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.