Composite hazard index for assessing limiting exposures to environmental pollutants: Formulation and derivation

A calculational hazard index methodology is developed for limiting human exposure to environmental pollutants. Hazard index is defined as Q/Q sub L, where Q is a measure of exposure, such as an organ's burden of a pollutant from all environmental pathways, and Q sub L is a corresponding limit that should not be exceeded because of health risk to human beings. Mathematical formulations relating hazard indices to environmental pollutant concentration are developed for each sampling medium corresponding to each effluent mode. These formulations are used to derive limiting pollutant concentrations such that the resultant measure of exposure will not exceed the health risk limit. Mathematical formulations for composite hazard indices for multiple pollutants are presented.