US EPA

Risk assessment of mixtures of environmental pollutants has become a subject of increasing public and regulatory concern. ypically, assessment of mixtures has been based on aggregating the risks associated with the individual constituents of the mixture. his approach does not consider the potential synergistic and antagonistic effects of the components, and does not incorporate the risk associated with unidentified constituents or constituents for which the individual risks are not known. On June 7-9, 1988 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held an "International Symposium on Chemical Mixtures: isk Assessment and Management" in Cincinnati, OH, to provide a forum where critical issues concerning assessment of mixtures could be presented and discussed. pproximately 200 scientists attended, representing a wide variety of disciplines, institutions, and countries. uring the two-and-one-half days of the symposium, leaders in the multidisciplinary field of risk assessment presented state-of-the-art approaches and techniques for quantifying the potential health risks from exposure to chemical mixtures. hey also addressed current knowledge in the various disciplines of risk assessment, as well as recent developments in sources of exposure, pharmacology, and toxicology. he symposium was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Jerry Stara, founder and director of the EPA Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office.

Mehlman, M. AND S. Lutkenhoff. RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-89/525 (NTIS PB91191361).

Toxicology & Industrial Health 5(5):1-352, 1989