Env/420 Week 2 Ecological Risk Analysis

Risk Assessment Worksheet
ENV/420
December 15, 2014
Mark Leeper
Risk Assessment Worksheet
The following paper discusses the risk assessment process while explaining the framework, how each phase interrelates, and why the framework is so important in assisting with the risk assessment process. The paper will also discuss some of the innovations that have occurred over the last several years.
Ecological Risk Assessment Framework
An ecological risk assessment is a process that analyzes potential adverse effects that are occurring or may occur as a consequence of exposure to one or more chemical, biological or physical stressors (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1998).
The framework for an ecological risk assessment is an important
Problem formulation begins with developing and evaluating the initial questions regarding the occurrences of ecological effects and why or how they might occur. The problem is then evaluated and steps are developed to analyze the data and characterize the risk that might be associated. The information obtained will help to produce the assessment endpoints and conceptual models which are both needed to complete the analysis plan (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1998). The analysis phase which consists of characterization of exposure and ecological effects are then guided by the results obtained from the problem formulation. In this phase data is analyzed to decide how exposure to stressors may occur and if exposed what possible ecological effects will surmise (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1998). The final phase risk characterization then proceeds by using the exposure and stressor-response information obtained through the analysis section and includes all scientific uncertainties, assumption summaries, and any limitations or strengths of the analysis (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
During the industrial revolution the many adverse effects caused from exposure to toxins were highly recognized in several work places. The rapid rise of the industrial market created waste and direct point source contaminants in turn produced air and water pollution, ecological degradation, and soil contamination. The public began to have concerns regarding disease and the complications associated with reproduction. Because of such a large number of different diseases occurring, many universities began to establish industrial hygiene programs. In the following years other graduate programs established industrial hygiene programs to train people to recognize, evaluate, and control causative agents (Paustenbach, D. J. (2002). In the 1930 's Scientists began doing assessments and collecting information showing that human health, the degree of exposure and the toxicity of chemicals were related. Permissible exposure limits were set for workplaces and the acceptable levels of exposure to toxic agents were introduced (Paustenbach, D. J. (2002). Late in the 1940 's attention began to focus more on what was considered lower risk hazards. Assessments and tests that were conducted showed that organic chemicals like waste by-product, herbicides, and pesticides posed a threat to water, soil, air, water, and sediment. During this time it was recognized that these chemicals needed to be used,