Risk Assessment Flashcards
(10 cards)
Which of the following is NOT important in hazard identification?
a. structure–activity analysis.
b. in vitro tests.
c. animal bioassays.
d. susceptibility.
e. epidemiology.
Correct Answer: d. susceptibility
Option breakdown:
a. structure–activity analysis – Yes, helps predict hazard by comparing to known toxicants.
b. in vitro tests – Yes, used for early hazard detection.
c. animal bioassays – Yes, cornerstone of hazard identification.
d. susceptibility – Correct: considered in risk assessment, not hazard ID.
e. epidemiology – Yes, supports hazard ID with human evidence.
Memory trick: Hazard ID = “what a chemical can do” — not “who it might affect.”
The probability of an adverse outcome is defined as:
a. hazard.
b. exposure ratio.
c. risk.
d. susceptibility.
e. epidemiology.
Correct Answer: c. risk
Option breakdown:
a. hazard – The potential for harm, not the probability.
b. exposure ratio – Not a standard term.
c. risk – Correct: probability that harm will occur.
d. susceptibility – Refers to who is more sensitive, not likelihood.
e. epidemiology – A field of study, not a measure.
Memory trick: Hazard = danger; risk = chance.
The systematic scientific characterization of adverse health effects resulting from human
exposure to hazardous agents is the definition of:
a. risk.
b. hazard control.
c. risk assessment.
d. risk communication.
e. risk estimate.
Correct Answer: c. risk assessment
Option breakdown:
a. risk – Broad term; not a process.
b. hazard control – Comes after risk is assessed.
c. risk assessment – Correct: evaluating the chance and severity of adverse effects.
d. risk communication – Sharing info, not analysis.
e. risk estimate – A part of risk assessment, not the whole process.
Memory trick: Risk assessment = full analysis of danger from exposure.
Which of the following is not an objective of risk management?
a. setting target levels for risk.
b. balancing risks and benefits.
c. calculating lethal dosages.
d. setting priorities for manufacturers.
e. estimating residual risks.
Correct Answer: c. calculating lethal dosages
Option breakdown:
a. setting target levels for risk – Yes, guides policy.
b. balancing risks and benefits – Yes, key principle.
c. calculating lethal dosages – Correct: part of hazard characterization, not management.
d. setting priorities for manufacturers – Yes, helps target actions.
e. estimating residual risks – Yes, helps manage what’s left after controls.
Which of the following is NOT a feature in the design of standard cancer bioassays?
a. more than one species.
b. both sexes.
c. near lifetime exposure.
d. approximately 50 animals per dose group.
e. same dose level for all groups.
Correct Answer: e. same dose level for all groups
Option breakdown:
a. more than one species – Yes, typically two (e.g., mice and rats).
b. both sexes – Yes, male/female responses can differ.
c. near-lifetime exposure – Yes, to detect long-term effects.
d. ~50 animals/group – Yes, for statistical power.
e. same dose for all – Wrong: need multiple doses to establish a dose-response.
Memory trick: Bioassays = multiple doses, long term, both sexes, multiple species.
Which of the following types of epidemiologic study is always retrospective?
a. cohort.
b. cross-sectional.
c. case–control.
d. longitudinal.
e. exploratory.
Correct Answer: c. case–control
Option breakdown:
a. cohort – Can be prospective or retrospective.
b. cross-sectional – One-time snapshot.
c. case–control – Correct: always starts with outcome and looks backward.
d. longitudinal – Follows over time, often forward.
e. exploratory – General term, not time-specific.
Memory trick: Case-control = “case first, trace back.”
Which of the following is defined as the highest nonstatistically significant dose tested?
a. ED50
b. ED100
c. NOAEL.
d. ADI.
e. COAEL.
Correct Answer: c. NOAEL
Option breakdown:
a. ED₅₀ – Dose where 50% show effect.
b. ED₁₀₀ – Dose where everyone responds.
c. NOAEL – Correct: highest dose tested with no adverse effect observed.
d. ADI – Derived from NOAEL, includes safety factors.
e. COAEL – Not a standard term.
Which of the following represents the dose below which no additional increase in response
is observed?
a. ED10
b. LD10
c. RfC.
d. threshold.
e. significance level.
Correct Answer: d. threshold
Option breakdown:
a. ED₁₀ – Dose causing 10% of effect.
b. LD₁₀ – Dose killing 10%.
c. RfC – Inhalation-specific regulatory value.
d. threshold – Correct: dose under which the body can handle it.
e. significance level – Stats term, unrelated to dose-response.
Which of the following is NOT needed to calculate the reference dose using the BMD
method?
a. MF.
b. percent benchmark response.
c. NOAEL.
d. UF.
e. benchmark dose.
The BMD method replaces NOAEL, so it’s not needed for this approach. Instead of identifying the NOAEL directly from a dose group, the BMD approach uses modeling to calculate the dose that corresponds to a specific effect level (e.g., a 10% response — the benchmark response).
Option-by-option breakdown:
a. MF (Modifying Factor) – Needed in some risk assessment frameworks using BMD. It may be used alongside the uncertainty factor (UF) to adjust the reference dose.
b. percent benchmark response – Essential. You can’t model a BMD without first defining what response percentage you’re aiming for (e.g., BMD₁₀ for 10% effect).
c. NOAEL – Correct. The whole point of BMD is to move away from using NOAELs because they rely too much on dose spacing and don’t use all the data.
d. UF (Uncertainty Factor) – Needed. Used to derive the final Reference Dose (RfD) or Reference Concentration (RfC) by accounting for interspecies, intraspecies, and data limitations.
e. benchmark dose – Needed. This is literally the dose calculated using the BMD method.
Virtually safe doses are described at which confidence level?
a. 90 percent.
b. 95 percent.
c. 99 percent.
d. 99.9 percent.
e. 99.99 percent.
B
