| 1. |
- Hansson, Sven Ove
(författare)
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Choosing priority-setting criteria for carcinogens
- 2001
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Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1080-7039 .- 1549-7860. ; 7:3, s. 475-491
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For priority-setting purposes, simple criteria are needed to estimate, provisionally, the inherent properties of potential carcinogens for which adequate data are not available. Expected utility analysis is used to evaluate three such criteria from a decision-theoretic point of view: (1) the species criterion, which assigns lower priority to experimental than to epidemiological carcinogens, (2) the genotoxicity criterion, which prioritizes substances known to be genotoxic, and (3) the potency criterion, which apportions priorities according to carcinogenic potencies that are derived from animal experiments. The outcome of this analysis is favorable to the potency criterion. It is concluded that considerations of potency should have a much more prominent role than what they have in current regulatory practice.
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| 2. |
- Moraes, Rosana, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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A Procedure for Ecological Tiered Assessment of Risks (PETAR)
- 2004
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Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA). - : Informa UK Limited. - 1549-7860 .- 1080-7039. ; 10:2, s. 349-371
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several procedures for Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) have been suggested. The use of these existing procedures often relies on availability of existing data and/or on large resources for acquisition of new ones. This paper presents a three-tiered procedure for retrospective evaluation of risks adapted to limited resources and scarce background information of relevance for risk assessments, such as in developing countries. The tiers require successively more detailed investigations. The approach assures that resources available for site-specific investigations are directed towards well-formulated questions raised during previous stages of the assessment. The first tier, the preliminary assessment, is a qualitative evaluation of existing information on anthropogenic stressors, sources of stressors and expected ecological effects. The second tier is a regional risk assessment; a semi-quantitative evaluation of ecological risks, over large geographical areas, which results in a ranking of sources and stressors having the greatest potential for ecological impact and ranking of sub-areas inside the study area more likely to be impacted. The final tier is a site-specific and quantitative risk assessment, at a smaller scale and requiring more resources, that incorporates methodologies for establishing causality between exposure to multiple stressors and effects on specific endpoints of ecological and societal relevance.
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| 3. |
- Moraes, Rosana, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Establishing causality between exposure to metals and effects on fish
- 2003
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Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA). - : Informa UK Limited. - 1549-7860 .- 1080-7039. ; 9:1, s. 149-169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study evaluates causal relationships between chronic exposure of fish to metals and effects at different levels of biological organization based on a weight-of-evidence approach. Criteria for evaluation of causality were strength, consistency, and specificity of the association, as well as biological gradient and plausibility. Field sampling was conducted three times between 1998 and 2000, in Furnas Stream, impacted by an abandoned lead mine, and in three other locations, including two reference and one impacted sites. Levels of Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ag in sediments from the Furnas Stream exceeded background levels, and their concentrations were above sediment quality guidelines. Residual levels of metals in fish tissue were high enough to indicate reduced growth, reproduction and/or survival according to toxicological benchmarks. Lead-induced biochemical changes (ALA-D activity depletion) were observed in two species of siluriform catfish. The condition factor of a predatory catfish was reduced, and the percentage of prey generalists was higher in Furnas than at the noncontaminated sites. Reduction in fish community diversity and density was observed. Integration of data provided supporting evidence that observed effects on fish from the Furnas Stream resulted from long-term exposure to metals, however influences from other stressors cannot be ruled out.
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| 4. |
- Moraes, Rosana, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Regional Risk Assessment in a Brazilian Rain Forest Reserve
- 2002
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Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA). - : Informa UK Limited. - 1549-7860 .- 1080-7039. ; 8:7, s. 1779-1803
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The objective of this study was to identify subareas inside and near an Atlantic Rain Forest reserve, the Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira (PETAR), most likely to be affected by land use in the vicinity of the area. In addition, the study aimed to compare risks per stressor source (agriculture, human settlements and mining) to both epigean (surface) and hypogean (subterranean) aquatic fauna. The methodological approach included the relative vulnerability of endpoints to the stressors (pesticides, metals, nutrients, and particles) and ranking of stressor sources and habitats (epigean and hypogean streams) based on their relative distribution in 14 subareas within the catchment areas of the main rivers that cross PETAR:Pilões, Betari and Iporanga. Four subareas presented high risk for both epigean and hypogean fauna. Three of those areas were located inside the Betari catchment area, where most of the settlements andabandoned lead mines are located. The fourth area was situated in the headwaters of the Pilões River, where agricultural activities are intense. Agriculture and human settlements were the activities most likely to cause impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Uses of risk assessment results include management of the PETAR and communication to stakeholders by the Park Administration.
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| 5. |
- Sandin, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Precautionary defaults - A new strategy for chemical risk management
- 2004
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Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1080-7039 .- 1549-7860. ; 10, s. 1-18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In order to give adequate support to risk managers, new risk assessment methods should be developed that are (1) scientifically sound, (2) simplified, and (3) suited for precautionary risk management. In this Perspective we propose that the notion of a precautionary default can be a useful tool in the development of such methods. A precautionary default is a cautious or pessimistic assumption that is used in the absence of adequate information and that should be replaced when such information is obtained. Furthermore, we point out some promising research areas for the development of such indicators, viz. connections between chemical characteristics such as persistence and effect parameters, monitoring of contaminants in polar regions, monitoring of contaminants in breast milk, application of results from (human) toxicology in ecotoxicology and vice versa, (eco) toxicological test systems that are sensitive to effects on reproduction, and the application of bioinformatic methods to complex data, both in genomic research and in ecotoxicology. We conclude that precautionary decision-making does not require less science, but to the contrary it requires more science and improved communication between scientists and risk managers.
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| 6. |
- Sandin, P., et al.
(författare)
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The default value approach to the precautionary principle
- 2002
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Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. - 1080-7039 .- 1549-7860. ; 8:3, s. 463-471
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In science, when information is lacking, the reasonable response is to suspend judgement. When incomplete scientific information is to be used for decision-making purposes, such as regulation, the option of suspending judgement is not available. In such situations the precautionary principle may be used. One of several problems with the precautionary principle is that it is poorly defined and difficult to operationalize. We propose a way of operationalizing the precautionary principle through assigning cautious default values to variables that are needed in the risk analysis but are nevertheless unknown. A formalized model is introduced, in which the precautionary principle is interpreted in terms of default values of chemicals regulation. Four different methods for choosing default values (positive list, negative list, statistical expectation, and precaution) are discussed.
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