Microorganisms are everywhere--in the air, soil, water, and in our bodies. They can be both harmful and beneficial to human health and the environment. Viruses are microorganisms, but so are the antibiotics used to fight them. EPA conducts research to measure, characterize and predict the exposure of humans to microbial hazards. Analytical quantitative methods are developed to accurately and specifically measure human risk factors associated with microorganisms. Surveys and monitoring studies are carried out to determine the levels of microbials in environmental matrices, and human populations are studied to determine significant exposure pathways, the levels of exposure, and the sources of exposure factors.
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