Citation:

VALLERO, D. A. ASBESTOS EXPOSURE RESEARCH - AIR, SOIL AND BULK MATERIAL SCENARIOS. Presented at 24th Annual Conference and Exposition of the Environmental Information Association, Charlotte, NC, March 17 - 21, 2007.

Impact/Purpose:

1) Develop methods of ecological exposure (e.g. rapid , sensitive analytical screening methods for a select list of antibiotics widely used in agriculture primarily in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations).

2) Do Measurements & Provide data for multicompartment models of fate and transport.

3) Study biomagnification of specific chemicals and toxic metals.

4) Study specific pharmaceuticals:

*Determine the routes of entry and the impact of environmental factors such as rainfall on the movement and survivorability of selected antimicrobials in the environment.

*Determine if the entry of agriculture based antibiotics into the environment contributes to resistance in bacterial populations.

*Determine the contribution from municipal waste water treatment plants to antibiotic loading in the environment.

5) Develop methods for the analysis of alkylphenol ethoxylates and derivatives.

Description:

Presently, asbestos and other mineral fibers are monitored in the workplace and in the environment using several basic analytical techniques, based primarily upon observing the fiber by either optical or electron microscopy. EPA is conducting research to determine which sampling and analytical approaches best support these analyses. In two surveys conducted in 2004, EPA asbestos coordinators identified the highest priority exposure research needs to be improvements to analytical procedures and counting rules for asbestos detection and quantitation in bulk samples, air, settled dust, and soil for field monitoring and risk analysis in various exposure scenarios.

Record Details: