PubMed1996
A new methodology for estimating the probabilistic risk from acute toxic exposures is planned as a support tool for the Air Force at the Eastern and Western Ranges. Two such methodologies are programs entitled the Launch Area Toxic Analysis program (LATRA) and the Cold Spill Toxic Risk Analysis program (COSTRA). These programs combine probabilistic models of an accident (when applicable), release cloud formation and dispersion (appropriate to the toxic substance and accounting for meteorological conditions), and new exposure-response functions (ERFs) for sensitive and normal exposed populations. These ERFs, anchored on specific exposure standards, estimate the probability of a given severity of health effect in a particular population as a function of the concentration or dose to which it is exposed. The further development and acceptance of these ERFs by the toxicology community, especially for different sensitivities, are key concerns addressed in this paper.