Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (2008)
Federal Register Notices
Contact
- Jacqueline Moya
- by phone at: 703-347-8539
- by email at: moya.jacqueline@epa.gov
- by email at: moya.jacqueline@epa.gov
Notice
EPA announces release of this final report in an October 30, 2008 Federal Register Notice.
The National Center for Environmental Assessment Staff have prepared this handbook to provide information on various physiological and behavioral factors commonly used in assessing children’s exposure to environmental chemicals. Children have different exposure circumstances than do adults. Understanding these differences is key for evaluating potential for environmental hazards from pollutants. They consume more of certain foods and water and have higher inhalation rates per unit of body weight than adults. Young children play close to the ground and come into contact with contaminated soil outdoors and with contaminated dust on surfaces and carpets indoors. Ingestion of human milk may be another potential pathway of exposure for infants and young children.Background
In 1997, NCEA published the first Exposure Factors Handbook (EPA/600/P-95/002Fa-c), which includes exposure factors and related data on both adults and children. The goal of the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook is to consolidate all child exposure data into one single document. This document would provide a summary of the available and up-to-date statistical data on various factors assessing child exposures. These factors include drinking water consumption, soil ingestion and non-dietary factors, inhalation rates, dermal factors including skin area and soil adherence factors, consumption of fruits and vegetables, fish, meats, dairy products, homegrown foods, human milk, activity patterns, body weight, and consumer products.
This report is an update of the 2002 interim final version of this handbook. The 2008 version provides analysis of exposure factors data using EPA's recommended age groups for assessing childhood exposures.
This report is an update of the 2002 interim final version of this handbook. The 2008 version provides analysis of exposure factors data using EPA's recommended age groups for assessing childhood exposures.
History/Chronology
1997 | EPA releases the Exposure Factors Handbook (EPA/600/P-95/002Fa-c). |
Sep 2002 | EPA posts the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (Interim Report) 2002. |
Oct 2006 | EPA released an external review draft of the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook for public review and comment. EPA extended the comment period in response to requests from the public. |
Sep 2007 | EPA hosted an external peer-review workshop for the draft report. |
Sep 2008 | EPA released the final report, Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (CSEFH). |
Oct 2008 | EPA announces release of the final report in an October 30, 2008 Federal Register Notice. |
Next Steps
This is the final report.
Downloads/Related Links
- Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (CSEFH) (PDF) (679 pp, 11 MB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Front Matter (PDF) (45 pp, 748 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 1 Introduction (PDF) (29 pp, 294 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 2 Variability and Uncertainty (PDF) (12 pp, 119 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 3 Water Ingestion (PDF) (40 pp, 570 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 4 Non-Dietary Ingestion Factors (PDF) (35 pp, 472 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 5 Ingestion of Soil and Dust (PDF) (46 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 6 Inhalation Rates (PDF) (58 pp, 784 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 7 Dermal Exposure Factors (PDF) (33 pp, 349 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 8 Body Weight (PDF) (42 pp, 3 MB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 9 Intake of Fruits and Vegetables (PDF) (50 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 10 Intake of Fish and Shellfish (PDF) (43 pp, 556 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 11 Intake of Meats, Dairy Products and Fats (PDF) (48 pp, 1 MB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 12 Intake of Grain Products (PDF) (28 pp, 667 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 13 Intake of Home-Produced Foods (PDF) (24 pp, 538 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 14 Total Food Intake (PDF) (40 pp, 374 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 15 Human Milk Intake (PDF) (48 pp, 862 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 16 Activity Factors (PDF) (78 pp, 2 MB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Chapter 17 Consumer Products (PDF) (30 pp, 704 KB, about PDF)
- CSEFH Glossary (PDF) (11 pp, 111 KB, about PDF)
Additional Information
In an effort to keep the handbook up-to-date, NCEA will incorporate new data as they become available in the published literature. Please submit comments, recommendations, suggested revisions, and corrections to Jacqueline Moya.
Citation
U.S. EPA. Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (2008). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-06/096F, 2008.