Metabolically Derived Human Ventilation Rates: A Revised Approach Based Upon Oxygen Consumption Rates (Final Report, 2009)
Overview
Citation
Background
One important determinant of a person's exposure to contaminants in air is the ventilation rate, or the volume of air that is inhaled by an individual in a specified time period. Ventilation rate is also known as breathing or inhalation rate. This report, Metabolically Derived Human Ventilation Rates: A Revised Approach Based Upon Oxygen Consumption Rates Report presents a revised approach which calculates ventilation rates directly from an individual’s oxygen consumption rate, and applies this method to data provided from more recent sources including the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and EPA's Consolidated Human Activity Database (CHAD). The revised approach was developed to replace previous approaches that were limited by their dependence on a ventilatory equivalent which in turn relied on a person’s fitness level.
This work was conducted as part of the Office of Research and Development’s Exposure Factors Program. This program provides summaries of available statistical data and recommendations for factors used to estimate human exposure to environmental contaminants. Example exposure factors include: age specific rates for drinking water consumption, food consumption, soil and dust ingestion, body weight, activity patterns, and information to estimate dermal absorption. The primary products of the program are the Exposure Factors Handbook (USEPA 1997) and the Child-Specific Exposure Factors handbook 9USEPA 2008). EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) maintains the exposure factors handbooks and periodically updates those documents using current literature and other reliable data made available through research. This report on ventilation rates furthers understanding of those factors effecting human exposure.
History/Chronology
Date | Description |
---|---|
Jan 2007 | EPA released the external review draft for public review and comment. |
Apr 2007 | EPA hosted an External Peer Review meeting to discuss the draft report and comments. |
Jun 2009 | EPA released the final report. |
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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.
- Metabolically Derived Human Ventilation Rates: A Revised Approach Based Upon Oxygen Consumption Rates (PDF) (153 pp, 2.8 MB, about PDF)
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