Challenges and Emerging Approaches in Environmental Exposure and Human Health Risk Assessment
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Public Health Statistics and Risk Assessment".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 63608
Special Issue Editors
Interests: system toxicology; biostatistics; big data and data analytics; exposure science; human biomonitoring; epidemiology; environmental and human-health risk assessment; internal dosimetry modeling (PBPK); climate change linked risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: child health; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; respiratory health; epidemiology; human biomonitoring; air pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Massive quantities of chemicals have already been produced, released, and accumulated in our ecosystem. Humans are exposed to multiple chemicals by multiple routes of exposure, such as ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Many of these chemicals are suspected of causing adverse health effects. In order to regulate these chemicals, risk assessment taking account of both exposure and toxicity is therefore necessary to monitor and control possible adverse effects on human health. Risk assessments have traditionally used toxicological data from animal studies and safety assessment factors to derive intakes that can be associated with an acceptable level of risk. However, there is consensus that the 21st century paradigm shift in human health risk assessment will be based on the understanding of mechanisms of toxicity rather than on the identification of apical endpoints of toxicity. This mechanistic shift has great potential for improving human health risk assessment and tailoring it to different problem formulations. Simultaneously, it also aims to provide an alternative to animal testing by the development of in vitro and in silico tools. The incorporation of integrated assessment and testing approaches (IATAs), which refers to the integration of in vitro and in silico together, is one of the important goals to be achieved in 21st century toxicity testing. There has recently been a tremendous increase in our mechanistic understanding of biology with data being generated at the levels of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics by high-throughput analysis omics technology. In parallel, in-silico tools such as PBPK, PD, systems biology, and AOPs offer an opportunity to understand the biological complexity and its multilevel connectivity in a holistic approach. Similarly, chemical risk assessment and management would profit from improved information about the extent of the population’s exposure to chemicals, including occupational exposure. Along with the development of new tools and techniques in toxicological research, it is also necessary to have a continuous re-evaluation of existing data, and to engage in its curation, integration, and knowledge-based translation that might be able to solve many current challenges in this field.
Chemical substances are also regulated under different frameworks depending on the intended use or presence in matrices of high protection value, such as food and drinking water or the environment. This leads to a lack of overarching coordination and responsibility related to limiting human and environmental exposure. Insufficient coordination in regulating intended uses that fall under the same regulatory framework has also been observed. There is a need to strengthen and harmonize the regulation of chemicals in order to promote a high protection level for human health, in particular for children and other vulnerable or highly exposed populations (including occupational exposure) and the environment. This includes both the continued implementation of existing regulatory frameworks as well as developments to face new challenges.
The objective of this Special Issue is to cover different aspects of new-generation approaches for Environmental Exposure and Human Health Risk Assessment of single or multiple chemicals, including all chemical classes (cumulative) and all routes (aggregate) of combined exposure, considered for their effects on human health.
Dr. Vikas Kumar
Dr. Maribel Casas
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- human health
- environment
- IATA
- human biomonitoring
- in silico
- in vitro
- systems toxicology
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