Figure 10. Generic conceptual dredging scenario in ARAMS/FRAMES for both ecological and human health risk assessment

Figure 10. Generic conceptual dredging scenario in ARAMS/FRAMES for both ecological and human

health risk assessment

TBP is the ecological exposure model used to assess the effects of exposure to the contaminated

sediments and water on biota. The TBP model contains a BSAF database for selecting lipid fractions

for the receptor species and BSAF values for the contaminants of concern. TBP then estimates biota

body burden in equilibrium with contaminated sediments and water for all of the receptors and

contaminants of concern. The TBP model is linked with the ecological effects module to estimate

the risks associated with the body burdens.

WEAP is the ecological effects model used to estimate the risk as an ecological hazard quotient, or

probability of exceedance of ecological effects criteria. WEAP compares the biota body burden

against the effects levels from the ERED database. The model can also make simple comparisons

or can estimate statistical violations of criteria over given periods of time. The model summarizes

and classifies the effects.

MEPAS is the human health exposure model used to calculate the exposure concentrations in media

(air, water, soil, and food) that will be exposed to humans (Buck et al. 1995). The concentrations

are passed to the MEPAS receptor intake module where the exposure doses are computed.

Additionally, the TBP model passes exposure concentrations of aquatic organisms for human

consumption to the receptor intake model. The MEPAS human health impacts module estimates