Developing Frameworks for Evaluating Emerging Human Health Risks from Environmental Exposures

Long - Term Objective 1: To link public health and water management directly through the application of QMRA to relevant water scenarios which have not been fully explored.New dose response models will be developed, evaluated and published for antibiotic resistant pathogens and waterborne pathogens based on relevant exposure routes - inhalation from showering, eye contact from face washing and dermal exposure. These models will increase the capacity for risk assessment to be used for risk assessments for resistant pathogens and in decision making about water distribution and premise plumbing design. In the water application area, this work will extend current regulatory drinking water standards which focus on ingestion of pathogens and have not adequately provided protections for opportunistic pathogens.New risk assessments will be conducted for scenarios involving water distribution and water from piped water systems that come into contact with food or beverages These models will address uncertainties related to water usage, hydraulic residence times, temperature set points, flushing regimes and pipe materials.Long-term Objective 2: To develop a framework for integrated models that describe stressor behavior under multiple conditions and characterize risks.Within the timeframe of this project:An investigation of the utility of the risk assessment framework for its ability in characterizing risks associated with antibiotic pathogens and genes as emerging hazards will be completed through the development and incorporation of models of horizontal gene transfer.The application of established methods in QMRA to antibiotic resistance risks in order to produce models and estimates of risk for sensitivity analysis to prioritize uncertain and uncharacterized hazards.Long-term Objective 3: To integrate human and environmental health risk into decision making models to evaluate risk mitigation strategies.Within the timeframe of the project:An evaluation of antimicrobial resistance risk management mitigation scenarios will be conducted using decision analytic approaches. Risk management scenarios under this sub-objective may include manure management, antibiotic stewardship, wastewater treatment residence times, etc.2. An evaluation of piped water system design and management decisions will be linked to public health risks associated with them. The risk management decisions may consider water temperature, flushing regimes and selection of pipe materials and sizing.