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 Ecological Exposure Assessment
What is an Ecological Exposure Assessment?
An ecological exposure assessment builds upon the qualitative descriptions in the conceptual model to
calculate a quantitative estimate of the exposure of selected receptors to the contaminants of concern. This
quantitative estimate may be a:
a.
Concentration in some environmental media such as sediment or water.
b.
Tissue concentration in the receptor.
c.
Dose of a contaminant of concern to a receptor.
What Are the Steps in Conducting an Ecological Exposure Assessment?
The ecological exposure assessment includes estimating the:
a.
Representative concentrations of contaminants of concern (e.g., average, maximum, 95th
percentile) in the proposed dredged material.
b.
Concentrations of the contaminants of concern in environmental media to which the
selected receptors may be exposed along the completed pathways.
c.
Amount of a contaminant of concern which a receptor may ingest, contact, or concentrate
in its body.
How Does the Exposure Assessment Relate to Ecological Risk?
The exposure assessment should quantify the exposure in the same terms as any available toxicological
information. This allows the risk assessor to compare the exposure level to a level which corresponds to a
known adverse effect for that receptor. If the calculated exposure level is greater than the level associated
with an environmental effect, there is potential for ecological risk from the dredged material.
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Chapter 3 Ecological Exposure Assessment
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