Hazardous Waste Management Practice Test: Toxicity & Site Assessment — Flashcards

Toxicity & Site Assessment topics include: Eco toxicity, dose response relationship, epa designated hazardous wastes and hazardous sites assessment.

Toxicity assessment is a tool that helps investigate the potential for a substance to cause harm. It's part of risk assessment and involves identifying potential hazards and developing dose-response information for adverse effects. 

Toxicity assessment protocols typically involve prolonged chemical administration, such as 90-day subchronic exposure studies. These studies aim to establish a no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) and to evaluate the effects of repeated administration. 

Toxicity assessment includes:
Hazard identification: Includes a description of the specific forms of toxicity that can be caused by a chemical
Dose-response evaluation: Involves extrapolation to low doses
Characterization of the toxicity of a chemical: Includes development of a dose–response relationship and the development of exposure criteria 

Toxicity can be measured by its effects on the target (organism, organ, tissue or cell) or indirectly by measuring altered biological function downstream after exposure to a chemical or biological entity.