Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Environmental Topics
  • Laws & Regulations
  • Report a Violation
  • About EPA
IRIS
Contact Us

Advances In Inhalation Gas Dosimetry For Derivation of A Reference Concentration (RfC) and Use In Risk Assessment

On this page:

  • Overview
  • Background
  • Downloads

Alert
Alert Notice

The U.S. EPA has released the final status report entitled Advances in Inhalation Gas Dosimetry for Derivation of a Reference Concentration (RfC) and Use in Risk Assessment.

Overview

This status report provides a review of advances in the state of the science for interspecies inhalation gas dosimetry related to extrathoracic (ET) or upper respiratory tract (URT), tracheobronchial (TB), pulmonary (PU), and extrarespiratory (systemic, SYS) effects.

Background

The RfC Methods document (Methods for Derivation of Inhalation Reference Concentrations and Application of Inhalation Dosimetry; EPA/600/8-90/066F, October 1994) provides the basis for EPA extrapolation of data from animal toxicology studies to estimate delivered dose in humans as part of the development of inhalation reference values (i.e., RfC values). This report evaluates and summarizes the pertinent scientific developments and advancements in gas dosimetry focusing on extrathoracic (ET) or upper respiratory tract (URT), tracheobronchial (TB), pulmonary (PU), and extrarespiratory (systemic, SYS) effects as they relate to the current methodology used by EPA. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of data from animal studies to estimate a comparable dose in humans for inhaled chemicals. In addition, this report summarizes available data pertaining to inhalation dosimetry throughout the respiratory tract of children as it relates to derivation of an RfC. This report provides the scientific foundation necessary for ensuring that methods and guidance used and implemented by EPA in inhalation risk assessment of gases reflects the state of the science.

History/Chronology
Date Description
Apr - Jun 2012 Internal EPA workgroup review and management review.
Jul 2012 Revised report submitted to independent, external peer review.
Aug 2012 Revised final report based on peer review panel's comments.
Sep 2012 EPA released the final report.

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.

  • Advances in Inhalation Gas Dosimetry for Derivation of a Reference Concentration (RfC) and Use in Risk Assessment (PDF)  (145  pp, 2.2 MB, about PDF)

If you have a disability and the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please reach out to us using the Contact Us about IRIS form for assistance. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of the accessibility problem, the web address of the requested material, your preferred format in which you want to receive the material (electronic format (ASCII, etc.), standard print, large print, etc.), and your contact information.

Document Related Link(s)

  • IRIS Web site
  • Methods For Derivation Of Inhalation Reference Concentrations (RfCs) And Application Of Inhalation Dosimetry
  • 2009 Status Report: Advances In Inhalation Dosimetry of Gases and Vapors With Portal of Entry Effects In the Upper Respiratory Tract
  • 2011 Status Report: Advances In Inhalation Dosimetry For Gases With Lower Respiratory Tract and Systemic Effects
  • IRIS Home
  • About IRIS
  • IRIS Recent Additions
  • IRIS Calendar
  • IRIS Assessments
  • Advanced Search
  • IRIS Program Materials
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on December 14, 2012
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshots
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data.gov
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Open Government
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions

Follow.