TY - JOUR PY - 2004// TI - Development of acute exposure guideline levels for airborne exposures to hazardous substances JO - Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology A1 - Krewski, Daniel A1 - Bakshi, Kulbir A1 - Garrett, Roger A1 - Falke, Ernest A1 - Rusch, George A1 - Gaylor, David SP - 184 EP - 201 VL - 39 IS - 2 N2 - Hazardous substances can be released into the atmosphere due to industrial and transportation accidents, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and terrorists, thereby exposing workers and the nearby public to potential adverse health effects. Various enforceable guidelines have been set by regulatory agencies for worker and ambient air quality. However, these exposure levels generally are not applicable to rare lifetime acute exposures, which possibly could occur at high concentrations. Acute exposure guideline levels (AEGLs) provide estimates of concentrations for airborne exposures for an array of short durations that possibly could cause mild (AEGL-1), severe, irreversible, potentially disabling adverse health effects (AEGL-2), or life threatening effects (AEGL-3). These levels can be useful for emergency responders and planners in reducing or eliminating potential risks to the public. Procedures and methodologies for deriving AEGLs are reviewed in this paper that have been developed in the United States, with direct input from international representatives of OECD member-countries, by the National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure Guidelines for Hazardous Substances and reviewed by the National Research Council. Techniques are discussed for the extrapolation of effects across different exposure durations. AEGLs provide a viable approach for assisting in the prevention, planning, and response to acute airborne exposures to toxic agents.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0273-2300 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2003.11.009 ID - ref1 ER -