Practical advancement of multipollutant scientific and risk assessment approaches for ambient air pollution.
OBJECTIVE
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working toward gaining a better understanding of the human health impacts of exposure to complex air pollutant mixtures and the key features that drive the toxicity of these mixtures, which can then be used for future scientific and risk assessments.


METHODS
A public workshop was held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 22-24 February 2011, to discuss scientific issues and data gaps related to adopting multipollutant science and risk assessment approaches, with a particular focus on the criteria air pollutants. Expert panelists in the fields of epidemiology, toxicology, and atmospheric and exposure sciences led open discussions to encourage workshop participants to think broadly about available and emerging scientific evidence related to multipollutant approaches to evaluating the health effects of air pollution.


RESULTS
Although there is clearly a need for novel research and analytical approaches to better characterize the health effects of multipollutant exposures, much progress can be made by using existing scientific information and statistical methods to evaluate the effects of single pollutants in a multipollutant context. This work will have a direct impact on the development of a multipollutant science assessment and a conceptual framework for conducting multipollutant risk assessments.


CONCLUSIONS
Transitioning to a multipollutant paradigm can be aided through the adoption of a framework for multipollutant science and risk assessment that encompasses well-studied and ubiquitous air pollutants. Successfully advancing methods for conducting these assessments will require collaborative and parallel efforts between the scientific and environmental regulatory and policy communities.
National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
Douglas O
DO
Johns
Lindsay Wichers
LW
Stanek
Katherine
K
Walker
Souad
S
Benromdhane
Bryan
B
Hubbell
Mary
M
Ross
Robert B
RB
Devlin
Daniel L
DL
Costa
Daniel S
DS
Greenbaum
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004782:Environmental Health; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency
D000393:Air Pollutants