Impact/Purpose:

- Developing publically accessible databases.

- isseminating human exposure data bases and data tools in an appropriate manner to improve human exposure research and information.

- Ensuring that human exposure data sets generated by HEASD and its contractors or collaborators are useful for data analysis and for human exposure modeling, by providing formats and guidance on data base creation, documentation, storage, and retrieval.

- Ensuring that data sets produced in HEASD conform with ORD and EPA requirements.

- Compiling and translating existing human exposure data sets into useful formats for use by HEASD scientists and modelers.

- Making fully documented human exposure data sets available for researchers with collaborating external organizations.

Description:

Researchers in the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) have performed a number of large human exposure measurement studies during the past decade. It is the goal of the NERL to make the data available to other researchers for analysis in order to further the scientific understanding of human exposure. The major focus of this task is the creating, documenting, and dissemination of human exposure data bases collected by Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) or its contractors and/or collaborators via the world wide web. Dissemination of these data will provide needed information on human exposure to researchers, assessors, and the public. The work will ensure that data sets on human exposure measurements and on activity patterns and/or exposure factors are available, easily understood, and readily accessible for human exposure analysts and modelers.

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT

Start Date:10/01/1999

Projected Completion Date:09/01/2010

Record ID: 29223

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Project Information:

Progress :The Human Exposure Database System (HEDS) is a data repository for data generated from research studies conducted by HEASD researchers, their collaborators, and contractors. In FY99 work was initiated on HEDS, a database which would be internet-based and provide access to HEASD and other users human exposure data generated by HEASD researchers. The development of HEDS was conducted in parallel with obtaining and preparing the National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) databases for inclusion into HEDS. The design of the databases and user interfaces used the NHEXAS data as a primary source of requirements.

Work in FY00 included a peer review of the proposed user interface and NHEXAS data to be made available. This review was to determine if the design met the needs of the modeling community, which will be one of the major data users. A technical review of the database structure and Web interface was also conducted.

The work in FY01 included improving the HEDS as indicated by the development testing. HEDS was made available to external researchers on the internet located at http://www.epa.gov/heds. NHEXAS Region 5 data were published on the website. Work on the other two NHEXAS databases continued in FY01. The linkages between metadata in EIMS and the remainder of the data and documentation in HEDS was implemented.

In FY02, the NHEXAS Arizona and Maryland data were published on the website. The look and feel of the static pages in website were updated to meet the new EPA standards. Work continued on the dynamic pages. Data from the Children's Total Exposure to Pesticides and Persistent Organic Pollutants from the North Carolina study participants were prepared for the inclusion into HEDS.

In FY03, modifications to meet the new look and feel regulations were completed. Updates were made to EIMS and minor modifications were made to HEDS to maintain compatibility and functionality. Work was started to prepare the PM panel data from Baltimore and Fresno for the HEDS database. Data from the Arizona border study were received and processing begun.

Relevance :This task will provide publicly-accessible databases on environmental concentrations, activity patterns, and exposure factors needed to develop and evaluate mechanistic-based models of inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure. This project specifically supports APG 8.2.1 by providing data needed to improve the scientific basis to identify, characterize, assess, and manage environmental exposures that pose the greatest health risks to the American public by developing models and methodologies to integrate information about exposures and effects from multiple pathways. This task specifically addresses the concerns of the Science Advisory Board that one of the major limitations for conducting exposure assessments was the lack of databases on environmental concentrations, human activity patterns, and exposure factors.

Clients : NCEA, OPP, OAQPS, ORD, ORD/NERL/HEASD Human Exposure Measurements and Human Exposure Modeling Team Scientists; Human Exposure Scientific Community

Project IDs:

ID Code :3916

Project type :OMIS