EXPOSURE SCIENCE
in the 21st Century
A VISION AND A STRATEGY
Committee on Human and Environmental
Exposure Science in the 21st Century
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology
Division on Earth and Life Studies
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This project was supported by Contract EP-C-09-003 between the National Academy of Sciences and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project was also supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences through this contract. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.
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COMMITTEE ON HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE SCIENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Members
KIRK R. SMITH (Chair), University of California, Berkeley, CA
PAUL J. LIOY (Vice Chair), University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
TINA BAHADORI, American Chemistry Council, Washington, DC (resigned March 2012)
TIMOTHY BUCKLEY, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (resigned May 2012)
RICHARD T. DI GIULIO, Duke University, Durham, NC
J. PAUL GILMAN, Covanta Energy Corporation, Fairfield, NJ
MICHAEL JERRETT, University of California, Berkeley, CA
DEAN JONES, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (resigned June 2012)
PETROS KOUTRAKIS, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
THOMAS E. MCKONE, University of California, Berkeley, CA
JAMES T. ORIS, Miami University, Oxford, OH
AMANDA D. RODEWALD, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
SUSAN L. SANTOS, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
RICHARD SHARP, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
GINA SOLOMON, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, CA
JUSTIN G. TEEGUARDEN, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA
DUNCAN C. THOMAS, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
THOMAS G. THUNDAT, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
SACOBY M. WILSON, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Staff
EILEEN N. ABT, Project Director
KEEGAN SAWYER, Program Officer (through September 2011)
KERI SCHAFFER, Research Associate
NORMAN GROSSBLATT, Senior Editor
MIRSADA KARALIC-LONCAREVIC, Manager, Technical Information Center
RADIAH ROSE, Manager, Editorial Projects
ORIN LUKE, Senior Program Assistant (through June 2011)
TAMARA DAWSON, Program Associate
Sponsor
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY
Members
ROGENE F. HENDERSON (Chair), Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM
PRAVEEN AMAR, Clean Air Task Force, Boston, MA
MICHAEL J. BRADLEY, M.J. Bradley & Associates, Concord, MA
JONATHAN Z. CANNON, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
GAIL CHARNLEY, HealthRisk Strategies, Washington, DC
FRANK W. DAVIS, University of California, Santa Barbara
RICHARD A. DENISON, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, DC
CHARLES T. DRISCOLL, JR., Syracuse University, New York
H. CHRISTOPHER FREY, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
RICHARD M. GOLD, Holland & Knight, LLP, Washington, DC
LYNN R. GOLDMAN, George Washington University, Washington, DC
LINDA E. GREER, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC
WILLIAM E. HALPERIN, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark
PHILIP K. HOPKE, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
HOWARD HU, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
SAMUEL KACEW, University of Ottawa, Ontario
ROGER E. KASPERSON, Clark University, Worcester, MA
THOMAS E. MCKONE, University of California, Berkeley
TERRY L. MEDLEY, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, DE
JANA MILFORD, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder
FRANK O’DONNELL, Clean Air Watch, Washington, DC
RICHARD L. POIROT, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Waterbury
KATHRYN G. SESSIONS, Health and Environmental Funders Network, Bethesda, MD
JOYCE S. TSUJI, Exponent Environmental Group, Bellevue, WA
Senior Staff
JAMES J. REISA, Director
DAVID J. POLICANSKY, Scholar
RAYMOND A. WASSEL, Senior Program Officer for Environmental Studies
ELLEN K. MANTUS, Senior Program Officer for Risk Analysis
SUSAN N.J. MARTEL, Senior Program Officer for Toxicology
EILEEN N. ABT, Senior Program Officer
MIRSADA KARALIC-LONCAREVIC, Manager, Technical Information Center
RADIAH ROSE, Manager, Editorial Projects
OTHER REPORTS OF THE BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY
Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead (2012)
A Research Strategy for Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials (2012)
Macondo Well—Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety (2012)
Feasibility of Using Mycoherbicides for Controlling Illicit Drug Crops (2011)
Improving Health in the United States: The Role of Health Impact Assessment (2011)
A Risk-Characterization Framework for Decision-Making at the Food and Drug Administration (2011)
Review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Draft IRIS Assessment of Formaldehyde (2011)
Toxicity-Pathway-Based Risk Assessment: Preparing for Paradigm Change (2010)
The Use of Title 42 Authority at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2010)
Review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Draft IRIS Assessment of Tetrachloroethylene (2010)
Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use (2009)
Contaminated Water Supplies at Camp Lejeune—Assessing Potential Health Effects (2009)
Review of the Federal Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research (2009)
Science and Decisions: Advancing Risk Assessment (2009)
Phthalates and Cumulative Risk Assessment: The Tasks Ahead (2008)
Estimating Mortality Risk Reduction and Economic Benefits from Controlling Ozone Air Pollution (2008)
Respiratory Diseases Research at NIOSH (2008)
Evaluating Research Efficiency in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2008)
Hydrology, Ecology, and Fishes of the Klamath River Basin (2008)
Applications of Toxicogenomic Technologies to Predictive Toxicology and Risk Assessment (2007)
Models in Environmental Regulatory Decision Making (2007)
Toxicity Testing in the Twenty-first Century: A Vision and a Strategy (2007)
Sediment Dredging at Superfund Megasites: Assessing the Effectiveness (2007)
Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects (2007)
Scientific Review of the Proposed Risk Assessment Bulletin from the Office of Management and Budget (2007)
Assessing the Human Health Risks of Trichloroethylene: Key Scientific Issues (2006)
New Source Review for Stationary Sources of Air Pollution (2006)
Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals (2006)
Health Risks from Dioxin and Related Compounds: Evaluation of the EPA Reassessment (2006)
Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards (2006)
State and Federal Standards for Mobile-Source Emissions (2006)
Superfund and Mining Megasites—Lessons from the Coeur d’Alene River Basin (2005)
Health Implications of Perchlorate Ingestion (2005)
Air Quality Management in the United States (2004)
Endangered and Threatened Species of the Platte River (2004)
Atlantic Salmon in Maine (2004)
Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin (2004)
Cumulative Environmental Effects of Alaska North Slope Oil and Gas Development (2003)
Estimating the Public Health Benefits of Proposed Air Pollution Regulations (2002)
Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices (2002)
The Airliner Cabin Environment and Health of Passengers and Crew (2002)
Arsenic in Drinking Water: 2001 Update (2001)
Evaluating Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs (2001)
Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act (2001)
A Risk-Management Strategy for PCB-Contaminated Sediments (2001)
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals (twelve volumes, 2000-2012)
Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury (2000)
Strengthening Science at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2000)
Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment (2000)
Ecological Indicators for the Nation (2000)
Waste Incineration and Public Health (2000)
Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment (1999)
Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter (four volumes, 1998-2004)
The National Research Council’s Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years (1997)
Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in the Human Diet (1996)
Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest (1996)
Science and the Endangered Species Act (1995)
Wetlands: Characteristics and Boundaries (1995)
Biologic Markers (five volumes, 1989-1995)
Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment (1994)
Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children (1993)
Dolphins and the Tuna Industry (1992)
Science and the National Parks (1992)
Human Exposure Assessment for Airborne Pollutants (1991)
Rethinking the Ozone Problem in Urban and Regional Air Pollution (1991)
Decline of the Sea Turtles (1990)
Copies of these reports may be ordered from the National Academies Press
(800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313
www.nap.edu
Preface
Over the last decade, advances in tools and technologies—sensor systems, analytic methods, molecular technologies, computational tools, and bioinformatics—have provided opportunities for improving the collection of exposure-science information leading to the potential for better human health and ecosystem protection. Recognizing the need for a prospective examination of exposure science, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences asked the National Research Council to perform an independent study to develop a long-range vision and a strategy for implementing the vision over the next 20 years.
In this report, the Committee on Human and Environmental Exposure Science in the 21st Century presents a conceptual framework for exposure science and a vision for advancing exposure science in the 21st century. The committee describes scientific and technologic advances needed to support the vision and concludes with a discussion of the elements needed to realize it, including research and tool development, transagency coordination, education, and engagement of a broader stakeholder community.
This report has been reviewed in draft form by persons chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council Report Review Committee. The purpose of the independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards of objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We thank the following for their review of this report: Philip Landrigan, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Jonathan Levy, Boston University School of Public Health; Rachel Morello-Frosch, University of California, Berkeley; Michael Newman, College of William & Mary; John Nuckols, JRN & Associates Environmental Health Sciences; Sean Philpott, Union Graduate College; Stephen Rappaport, University of California, Berkeley; Lawrence Reiter, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (retired); Joyce Tsuji, Exponent; Mark Utell, Univer-
sity of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry; Craig Williamson, Miam University; Edward Zellers, University of Michigan.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of the report was overseen by the review coordinator, Joseph V. Rodricks, ENVIRON, and the review monitor, Michael F. Goodchild, University of California, Santa Barbara. Appointed by the National Research Council, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of the report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of the report rests entirely with the committee and the institution.
The committee gratefully acknowledges the following for making presentations to the committee: Steven Bradbury, Helen Dawson, Sumit Gangwal, Elaine Cohen Hubal, Bryan Hubbell, Edward Ohanian, Lawrence Reiter (retired), Rita Schoeny, and Linda Sheldon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Harry Cullings, Radiation Effects Research Foundation; Michael Dellarco, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Otto Hänninen and Matti Jantunen, Finland National Institute of Health and Welfare; Aubrey Miller, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Chris Portier, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Craig Postlewaite, U.S. Department of Defense.
The committee is also grateful for the assistance of National Research Council staff in preparing this report. Staff members who contributed to the effort are Eileen Abt, project director; James Reisa, director, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology; Keegan Sawyer, program officer; Keri Schaffer, research associate; Norman Grossblatt, senior editor; Mirsada Karalic-Loncarevic, manager, Technical Information Center; Radiah Rose, manager, editorial projects; Orin Luke, senior program assistant; and Tamara Dawson, program associate.
We especially thank the members of the committee for their efforts throughout the development of this report.
Kirk R. Smith, Chair Paul J. Lioy, Vice Chair Committee on Human and Environmental Exposure Science in the 21st Century |
5 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGIC ADVANCES
Tracking Sources, Concentrations, and Receptors with Geographic Information Technologies
Ubiquitous Sensing For Individual and Ecologic Exposure Assessment
Biomonitoring for Assessing Internal Exposures
Models, Knowledge, and Decisions
6 PROMOTING AND SUSTAINING PUBLIC TRUST IN EXPOSURE SCIENCE
Protecting Research Volunteers
Community Engagement and Stakeholder Participation
Use of Community-Based Participatory Research
Guiding Values: The Right to Learn
Immediate Challenges: Chemical Evaluation and Risk Assessment
C CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY IN EXPOSURE SCIENCE
BOXES, FIGURES, AND TABLES
BOXES
3-1 Case Study of Exposure Assessment for the National Children’s Study
3-2 Case Study of the Hanford Environmental Dose-Reconstruction Project
3-3 An Environment-Wide Association Study
3-4 Value of Improved Exposure Estimates for Epidemiologic Studies
3-5 Case Study of Perchlorate in Drinking Water
3-6 Case Study of Chemicals in Breast Milk: Policy Action Based on Exposure Data
3-7 Health Impact Assessment of Mobile Sources in San Francisco
3-8 Exposure to Multiple Stressors in a Large Lake Ecosystem
3-9 Emergency Management After the Attack on the World Trade Center
5-1 Evaluating the Reliability of Aerosol Optical Depth Against Ground Observations
5-2 Evaluation of MODIS 1 km Product
5-3 Embedded Sensing of Traffic in Rome
5-4 Ubiquitous Sensing of Physical Activity and Location
5-6 Potential Application of —omics and Exposure Data in Personalized Medicine
6-1 Case Study of Exposure Justice and Community Engagement: ReGenesis in Spartanburg, SC
FIGURES
1-1 The classic environmental-health continuum
1-2 Core elements of exposure science
1-4 Connections between ecosystem services and human-well being
3-1 General schema of exposure assessment in environmental epidemiology
3-2 Exposure to Multiple Stressors in Lake Tahoe
4-1 The four major demands for exposure science
5-1 Selected scientific and technologic advances considered in relation to the conceptual framework
5-2 Aerosol optical depth derived from MODIS data for the New England region