What are the uncertainties and limitations to using a screening-level assessment to evaluate what the VOC findings may mean to human health?
Screening-level assessments (See USGS Fact Sheet 2006-3043) have several complexities and limitations. VOC concentrations less than human-health benchmarks such as USEPA Maximum Contaminant Levels and USGS Health-Based Screening Levels indicate that adverse effects are unlikely to occur, even if water with such concentrations were to be ingested over a lifetime. Water containing VOCs with concentrations greater than these benchmarks might be of potential human-health concern if the water were to be ingested as the primary drinking-water source without treatment for many years. The likelihood for adverse effects generally increases as the VOC concentrations increase above their benchmark values. If water containing concentrations greater than their benchmarks is ingested, however, it does not mean that adverse human-health effects will occur because: • Human-health benchmarks are intentionally conservative (protective) and incorporate safety factors and conservative assumptions to accou
Related Questions
- What are the uncertainties and limitations to using a screening-level assessment to evaluate what the VOC findings may mean to human health?
- What are the uncertainties and limitations to using a screening-level assessment to evaluate what detections may mean to human health?
- What were the results of the screening level assessment for placing findings in the context of human health?
