ABSTRACT
In contrast, the risk assessment for a petrochemical complex located on the Gulf of Mexico would involve assessment of dozens of different processes and, potentially, hundreds of different compounds. The residents of a small town rely on a community well system for their drinking water. The wells are monitored every 3 months for the presence of contaminants. The most quarterly monitoring has revealed the presence of chlorinated solvents at concentrations near the federal maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). In contrast to the chronic (long-term) exposures that predominate in health risk assessments, acute (short-term) exposures are of major concern in hazard risk assessments. The problems in this chapter are intended to introduce the reader to the legislation governing risk assessments and the major steps involved in the risk assessment process. Many focus on information needs, calculations, and judgments that are part of a health risk assessment.
