Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect Reference Values For Inhalation Exposures (2009 Final Report)
This document provides graphical arrays and tables of key information on the derivation of human inhalation health effect reference values for specific chemicals, allowing comparisons across durations, populations, and intended use. A number of program offices within the Agency, as well as other Federal, State, and International agencies, have stated a need for these types of arrays to assist in decisions on risk and in communication with the general public.
This report includes inhalation health effect reference values derived for exposure durations ranging from acute (less than 24 hours) to chronic (potentially lifetime). The document opens with an overview of the types of available inhalation health effect reference value systems, the purpose and population for which the various types of health effect reference values were designed to be applied, and provides some rudimentary comparisons between reference values systems.
Individual chemical-specific summaries are presented for 24 chemicals, which includes discussion of the available inhalation health effect reference values for each chemical, along with a graphical array of the reference values,and a table of key background information relevant to how the values were derived. Where appropriate, some considerations on the use of individual, chemical-specific values are also included in the individual summaries.
This report includes inhalation health effect reference values derived for exposure durations ranging from acute (less than 24 hours) to chronic (potentially lifetime). The document opens with an overview of the types of available inhalation health effect reference value systems, the purpose and population for which the various types of health effect reference values were designed to be applied, and provides some rudimentary comparisons between reference values systems.
Individual chemical-specific summaries are presented for 24 chemicals, which includes discussion of the available inhalation health effect reference values for each chemical, along with a graphical array of the reference values,and a table of key background information relevant to how the values were derived. Where appropriate, some considerations on the use of individual, chemical-specific values are also included in the individual summaries.
Impact/Purpose
This review builds upon that earlier work and expands the scope to include the health effect reference values derived for longer durations to include chronic (potentially lifetime) exposure durations.
Status
This is a final document. An interactive, web-based collection of arrays is under consideration for development to allow updates to the collection as the existing reference values are revised over time. Additional arrays may also be developed and added to the collection in response to client program needs.
[UPDATE: October 2010] EPA has been notified that there were some broken links in the final report, Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect Reference Values for Inhalation Exposures, as it was released. Most of these are to the citations in the Health and Environmental Research On-line (HERO) database but could still be found by using the number listed in the report and going to the HERO website. In addition, we also identified some typographical and formatting errors that will also be corrected. No other substantive changes will be made.
[UPDATE: October 2010] EPA has been notified that there were some broken links in the final report, Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect Reference Values for Inhalation Exposures, as it was released. Most of these are to the citations in the Health and Environmental Research On-line (HERO) database but could still be found by using the number listed in the report and going to the HERO website. In addition, we also identified some typographical and formatting errors that will also be corrected. No other substantive changes will be made.
Citation
U.S. EPA. Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect Reference Values For Inhalation Exposures (2009 Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-09/061, 2009.
History/Chronology
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 2005-2008 | Various reference value arrays developed on an ad hoc basis. |
| Feb 2009 | Client Workshop on need and format of arrays and documentation. |
| Jun 2009 | Draft Reference Value Array Document developed. |
| Jul 2009 | Draft Document sent to clients for review. |
| Aug 2009 | Revised final document based on client review comments. |
| Sep 2009 | EPA annouced the release of the final report entitled, Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect Reference Values for Inhalation Exposures. |
| Oct 2009 | The final report was replaced in October to include a few typographical and units conversion corrections in several of the individual chemical summaries. In addition, these revisions required replacement of the graphical arrays for the chemicals Formaldehyde, Methylene Chloride, and Styrene. No other substantive changes were made. |
| Nov 2009 | The final report was replaced. This version includes a unit correction. No other substantive changes were made. |
| Apr 2010 | The final report, Graphical Arrays of Chemical-Specific Health Effect Reference Values for Inhalation Exposures, was replaced with a corrected document. This version includes an errata sheet of the updates. No other changes were made to the report. |
| Oct 2010 | EPA added a note to the site explaining that we were notified of some broken links in the final report. Most of these links are to the citations in the Health and Environmental Research On-line (HERO) database and could be found by using the number listed in the report. In addition, we also identified some typographical and formatting errors that will also be corrected. No other substantive changes will be made. |
This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.