Exposure Factors Handbook 2011 Edition (Final Report)
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Overview
EPA announced the release of the final report, Exposure Factors Handbook: 2011 Edition (EPA/600/R-09/052F), prepared by the Office of Research and Development's National Center for Environmental Assessments (NCEA). This updated edition of the handbook provides the most up-to-date data on the various human factors used in assessing exposure. The Exposure Factors Handbook (EFH or "Handbook") provides a summary of the available statistical data on various factors used in assessing human exposure. This report is addressed to exposure assessors inside the Agency as well as outside, who need to obtain data on standard factors to calculate human exposure to environmental agents.
These factors include: drinking water consumption, soil ingestion, inhalation rates, dermal factors including skin area and soil adherence factors, consumption of fruits and vegetables, fish, meats, dairy products, homegrown foods, human milk intake, human activity factors, consumer product use, and building characteristics. Recommended values are for the general population and also for various segments of the population who may have characteristics different from the general population. NCEA has strived to include full discussions of the issues that assessors should consider in deciding how to use these data and recommendations.
These factors include: drinking water consumption, soil ingestion, inhalation rates, dermal factors including skin area and soil adherence factors, consumption of fruits and vegetables, fish, meats, dairy products, homegrown foods, human milk intake, human activity factors, consumer product use, and building characteristics. Recommended values are for the general population and also for various segments of the population who may have characteristics different from the general population. NCEA has strived to include full discussions of the issues that assessors should consider in deciding how to use these data and recommendations.
Citation
U.S. EPA. Exposure Factors Handbook 2011 Edition (Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-09/052F, 2011.
Background
The mission of National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) of EPA's Office of Research and Development is to provide guidance and risk assessments aimed at protecting human health and the environment. To accomplish this mission, NCEA works to develop and improve the models, databases, tools, assumptions, and extrapolations used in risk assessments. This handbook is a tool developed by NCEA aimed at refining the assumptions used in exposure assessments and reducing uncertainty.
This handbook was first published in 1989 and later updated in 1997 to provide statistical data on the various human factors used in assessing exposure. This revised edition of the handbook provides the most up-to-date data on these exposure factors. The recommended values are based solely on our interpretations of the available data. In many situations different values may be appropriate to use in consideration of policy, precedent or other factors.
This handbook was first published in 1989 and later updated in 1997 to provide statistical data on the various human factors used in assessing exposure. This revised edition of the handbook provides the most up-to-date data on these exposure factors. The recommended values are based solely on our interpretations of the available data. In many situations different values may be appropriate to use in consideration of policy, precedent or other factors.
History/Chronology
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| May 1989 | EPA released the Exposure Factors Handbook (Final Report) 1989. EPA/600/8-89/043. |
| Aug 1996 | EPA released the draft Exposure Factors Handbook (1996) for public review and comment. |
| Aug 1997 | EPA released the final report, Exposure Factors Handbook (1997). |
| Oct 2009 | EPA released the draft report, Exposure Factors Handbook 2009 Update for public review and comment. [Federal Register Notice Oct 7, 2009] |
| Mar 2010 | EPA announced an independent external peer review workshop to discuss the draft report on March 3-4, 2010 in Arlington, VA. [Federal Register Notice Feb 2, 2010] |
| Sep 2011 | EPA released the final report, Exposure Factors Handbook: 2011 Edition. [Federal Register Notice Oct 3, 2011] |
| Jul 2012 | EPA released the comments from the peer review workshop (see downloads under the 2009 draft document). |
| Oct 2017 | EPA released an update to Chapter 5: Soil and Dust Ingestion. |
| Jun 2018 | EPA released an update to Chapter 11: Intake of Meats, Diary Products, and Fats. |
| Jul 2018 | EPA released an update to Chapter 12: Intake of Grain Products and an update to Chapter 19: Building Characteristics. |
| Aug 2018 | EPA released an update to Chapter 9: Intake of Fruits and Vegetables. |
| Feb 2019 | EPA released an update to Chapter 3: Ingestion of Water and Other Select Liquids. |
Download(s)
This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
- Exposure Factors Handbook: 2011 Edition (Complete 2011 Edition) (PDF) (1436 pp, 21.3 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Front Matter (PDF) (62 pp, 666.0 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 1. Introduction (PDF) (56 pp, 1.2 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 2. Variability and Uncertainty (PDF) (13 pp, 175.8 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 3. Ingestion of Water and Other Select Liquids (PDF) (107 pp, 1.2 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 3. Ingestion of Water and Other Select Liquids (2019 Update)
- EFH: Chapter 4. Non-Dietary Ingestion Factors (PDF) (41 pp, 466.8 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 5. Soil and Dust Ingestion (PDF) (58 pp, 1.2 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 5. Soil and Dust Ingestion (2017 Update)
- EFH: Chapter 6. Inhalation Rates (PDF) (96 pp, 1.1 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 7. Dermal Exposure Factors (PDF) (77 pp, 1.1 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 8. Body Weight Studies (PDF) (56 pp, 3.1 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 9. Intake of Fruits and Vegetables (PDF) (84 pp, 1.3 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 9. Intake of Fruits and Vegetables (2018 Update)
- EFH: Chapter 10. Intake of Fish and Shellfish (PDF) (224 pp, 2.8 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 11. Intake of Meats, Dairy Products, and Fats (PDF) (62 pp, 856.4 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 11. Intake of Meats, Dairy Products, and Fats (2018 Update)
- EFH: Chapter 12. Intake of Grain Products (PDF) (48 pp, 706.1 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 12. Intake of Grain Products (2018 Update)
- EFH: Chapter 13. Intake of Home-Produced Foods (PDF) (106 pp, 1.3 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 14. Total Food Intake (PDF) (43 pp, 586.9 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 15. Human Milk Intake (PDF) (47 pp, 646.5 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 16. Activity Factors (PDF) (204 pp, 5.0 MB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 17. Consumer Products (PDF) (57 pp, 793.9 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 18. Lifetime (PDF) (8 pp, 107.4 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 19. Building Characteristics (PDF) (58 pp, 761.7 KB, about PDF)
- EFH: Chapter 19. Building Characteristics (2018 Update)
- EFH: Glossary of Terms (PDF) (11 pp, 138.7 KB, about PDF)
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