WHY ARE CHILDREN A SENSITIVE SUBPOPULATION?
EPA recognizes that children may be affected by environmental contaminants in a different way than adults, both because they are more highly exposed and because they may be more vulnerable to the toxic effects of the contaminants. As such, they represent a unique sub-population when addressing environmental health risks. The National Research Council, after a detailed analysis of available data, has recognized that this special susceptibility is based on the following factors.7 • Children have greater exposures to environmental toxicants than adults. Relative to their size, children drink more water, eat more food, and breathe more air than adults, and consequently may be exposed to relatively higher amounts of contaminants. For example, the air intake of a resting infant is double that of an adult per pound of body weight. Behavioral characteristics of children, such as hand-to-mouth activity and playing on the ground, may also increase their exposure. • Children s metabolic pathways
