Human toxicity potentials for life-cycle assessment and toxics release inventory risk screening.
The human toxicity potential (HTP), a calculated index that reflects the potential harm of a unit of chemical released into the environment, is based on both the inherent toxicity of a compound and its potential dose. It is used to weight emissions inventoried as part of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) or in the toxics release inventory (TRI) and to aggregate emissions in terms of a reference compound. Total emissions can be evaluated in terms of benzene equivalence (carcinogens) and toluene equivalents (noncarcinogens). The potential dose is calculated using a generic fate and exposure model, CalTOX, which determines the distribution of a chemical in a model environment and accounts for a number of exposure routes, including inhalation, ingestion of produce, fish, and meat, and dermal contact with water and soil. Toxicity is represented by the cancer potency q1* for carcinogens and the safe dose (RfD, RfC) for noncarcinogens. This article presents cancer and noncancer HTP values for air and surface-water emissions of 330 compounds. This list covers 258 chemicals listed in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency TRI, or 79 weight-% of the TRI releases to air reported in 1997.
Hertwich
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Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley 94720-3050, USA. hertwich@altavista.com
Mateles
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Pease
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McKone
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D000375:Aging; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002273:Carcinogens; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical