CRC CARE Seminar and Webinar - Recent advances in risk assessment for mixed contaminants Online

CRC CARE Seminar and Webinar - Recent advances in risk assessment for mixed contaminants 

Presenter: Prof Jack Ng, The University of Queensland, Entox (National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology), and Program Leader – “Minimising Uncertainty in Risk Assessment” at CRC CARE

Seminar/webinar overview

Science-based risk assessment for mixed contaminants is critical for the protection of human and ecological health, and addressing liability issues. Risk assessment helps determine if remediation is required and informs planning by defining safe post-remediation contamination levels.

However, assessing the risk posed by mixed contaminants (as opposed to single contaminants) is not a simple task. As such, it is often the case that neither the combined effects (additive, synergistic or otherwise), nor the original bioavailability of the contaminant(s) responsible for the toxicity are understood.

Current regulations for estimating mixture toxicities are based on an additive concept where interaction data is unavailable. If the individual chemicals in a mixture have similar toxicity or mode of action, then expecting an additive response is logical. However, this is not always the case with mixtures. In some cases, the toxicity of mixtures could be antagonistic, and assuming additive effects may lead to an overestimation of their toxicity. Conversely, an additive assumption can underestimate the risk if synergistic interactions exist.

To make an informed decision about the real risk of mixed contaminants, knowledge about the toxicological effects of the mixtures is critical.

Assessing the risk to human health from mixed contamination forms part of CRC CARE's Research Program “Minimising Uncertainty in Risk Assessment”. This project has made significant advances with regard to mixture bioavailability and toxicity. As part of the project to date, mixture interaction data has been obtained for both organic contaminants (PAHs) and metal/loids in terms of human health risk assessment. This will be presented as part of this seminar/webinar.

About the presenter:

Professor Jack Ng

The University of Queensland, Entox (National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology), and Program Leader – “Minimising Uncertainty in Risk Assessment” at CRC CARE

Professor Jack Ng is one of very few certified toxicologists in Australia (DABT - Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology). In his current position of Professorial Research Fellow at Entox Jack is the Program Group Leader for Risk Assessment and Intervention (formerly Metals and Metalloids Research). His major research themes include chemical speciation in environmental and biological media, bioavailability in relationship to toxicities using various animal and cell models, carcinogenicity and mechanistic studies of chronic arsenic toxicity in both humans and animals. Jack is also a Program Leader in CRC CARE (Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment). As a Program Leader he oversees numerous research projects within CRC CARE.

Jack was a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) working committee for the revision of National Environmental Protection Measures (NEPM) Health Investigation Levels; and a member of the project advisory group of the Health Screening Levels for petroleum hydrocarbons. He is currently an expert adviser to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Cost

This Seminar costs $25 for employees of CRC CARE Partner organisations and $50 for others. 

CRC CARE Partner organisations