1) An environmental public health analyst conducted an exposure risk assessment that included developing a questionnaire to understand how a population may be exposed to contaminants through activities like food consumption, chemical contact at work, etc. 2) The questionnaire was adapted from other studies and included 38 questions across various topics. 3) The exposure risk assessment was submitted for approval and funding, and preliminary results will integrate data from the questionnaire with environmental sampling to estimate population exposure to contaminants.

1. Exposure Risk Assessment
Environmental Public Health Analyst
Nwanne Agada – East Carolina University
Parul Pillai, MPH – Built Environment and Health Impact
Assessment Unit
Practice Experience Dates: June 2016 – August 2016
EXPOSURE PATHWAYS
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Environmental public health analyst evaluate
probable sources of contamination and assess the
potential impact to population health and the
environment. This includes
• conducting environmental site inspections
• generating statistics
• reporting findings
Public Health Analysts research data,
relationships, and policies surrounding
environmental challenges and try to find
reasonable solutions.
An Environmental Health Risk Assessment is one
way of evaluating exposure pathways, predicting
health risks, and providing solutions to combat
environmental contamination.
METHODS
The questionnaire put together by the Built Environment
and Health Impact Assessment Unit was adapted from a
University of Michigan Study. Along with the University of
Michigan questionnaire, other credible sources were used
to generate potential questions that could help us
understand how one can come in contact with a certain
contaminant. Other sources used were: Health of Houston
2010, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,
Texas Department State Health Services (DSHS), EPA, CDC
Environmental Health and Medicine Education, etc. 38
questions were formed and ranged in topics from food
consumption to contact with chemicals in the workplace.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
The Exposure Risk Assessment has been
submitted and is awaiting approval and funding.
Results will include integrating data from the
questionnaire, environmental sampling
collected under the study and environmental
sampling data publicly available.
COMPETENCIES ACHIEVED
 Assisted in the editing and finalizing of HCPH
Exposure Risk Assessment Questionnaire
 Created HCPH Soil Sampling protocol which
included instructions on how sampling and lab
analysis will be done
 Drafted soil sampling quote summaries which
listed potential vendors to assist in soil
sampling
 Assisted in creation of soil sampling mail out
letters informing potential residents of
possible soil sampling on their property
 Revised exposure assessment phone screen
interview and IRB document
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
There are four basic steps involved in environmental risk assessment:
1. Hazard identification
2. Exposure assessment
3. Dose-response assessment
4. Risk characterization
An exposure risk assessment scientifically measures the impacted environment to determine potential human
exposure. These assessments can estimate how much of a contaminant is present in the environment and how
much a population is exposed to that particular contaminant. Exposure assessments are best suited for studying
long-term exposure to a contaminant.
Implementing a survey tool is a major component of an exposure risk assessment. The survey tool can be a
questionnaire that sheds light on the daily lives and habits of people living in a community. The questionnaire also
serves as a proxy to measure and quantify possible exposure to contaminants. Questionnaires are frequently used
in exposure assessments and are often used in combination with other methods.
Common pathways that chemicals can enter the
body are through inhalation, dermal absorption,
and ingestion. The various exposure pathways will
target different organs and affect the body in
different ways. Understanding the pathway that a
certain toxicant takes will allow us to understand
the ways in which a population may be impacted.
Ingestion: contaminants can be ingested into the
body through contaminated drinking water or
contaminated food
Dermal absorption: contaminants can come in
contact with the skin and be absorbed into the
body. I.e., contaminated soil that one might touch
or play with, can increase exposure level to harmful
substances
Inhalation: contaminants found in the air can be
breathed into the lungs and absorbed into the
blood stream.
The focus of my
project
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to Parul Pillai for her knowledge and
insight in helping me understand the role of a
public health analyst. Also, thank you to Dr. Patricia
Cummings for giving me this opportunity to work
with Harris County Public Health this summer.
REFERENCES
• https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/phamanual/ch6
.html
• http://www.environmentalscience.org/career/e
nvironmental-policy-analyst
• http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-
modules/exposureassessment/exposureassess
ment_print.html
• https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/20
16-
02/documents/guidelines_for_human_exposur
e_assessment_peer_review_draftv2.pdf
QUESTIONNAIRE