Title Page
Abstract
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
Abstract
The purpose of this research is twofold: design an overarching framework that is comprehensive, logical, and useful for industrial needs; and within that framework identify research needs based on gap and sensitivity analyses. The overarching framework, called the Comprehensive Chemical Exposure Framework, will be used to house models, algorithms, and databases associated with micro-environmental exposure modeling. The research needs are defined for representative high volume compounds that could be involved in home and work exposure scenarios defined specifically for this study. These exposure scenarios were used to guide the types of models, algorithms, and databases required to evaluate each scenario. Model and process flow diagrams were developed for each exposure scenario, and research gaps were identified based on publicly available information. Once the gap analysis was completed for the source, transport, exposure, and health impact components of each scenario, a qualitative sensitivity of the entire system was conducted. The Gap Analysis focused on reviewing the process flow diagrams that had been developed to properly evaluate each of the four example exposure scenarios to identify models, algorithms, and databases that were missing or unknown. This was done for the Source, Transport, Exposure, and Impacts components of the exposure scenarios. In some cases, models existed, but they were determined to be too simplistic or conservative and were considered a research gap. In these cases, alternative paths were explored to determine the type of model or algorithm required to fill the research gap. A qualitative Sensitivity Analysis was also performed on the models and algorithms identified for the various compounds and exposure scenarios.
