Abstract
Traditional environmental risk assessment methodologies, including benchmark dose (BMD) estimation, were originally developed to be used with animal toxicology data. We discuss some problems that can occur when toxicology‐based methods are applied to human cohort studies, and we propose a new method for BMD risk estimation adapted to epidemiological data. Instead of extrapolating to zero‐dose levels to estimate risk in an unexposed population, our proposed alternative involves specifying a nonzero background exposure level instead. To account for uncertainty in that level, we can average modified BMDs over a distribution of exposure levels. We apply our modified BMD method to analyze data from a cohort study designed to assess the effects of prenatal polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure on cognitive ability in young children. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
