Summary

Written by experts in the field, this important book provides an introduction to current risk assessment practices and procedures and explores the intrinsic complexities, challenges, and controversies associated with analysis of environmental health risks.

Environmental Health Risk Assessment for Public Health offers 27 substantial chapters on risk-related topics that include:

Choice Review

Environmental health risk assessment is a central topic in the public health field. This book, resulting from a 2004 workshop, largely succeeds as a graduate-level textbook. The editors recognize the diversity of course styles and topics, and the book focuses on the risk assessment (RA)-risk management (RM) paradigm. Many authors of the 27 chapters are well known. Chapters 1-16 provide an introduction to RA, RM, risk communication, legal and regulatory issues, toxicology, probabilistic modeling, radiologic risk assessment, and microbial risk assessment. Also covered are molecular tools, biological monitoring, comparative risk assessment, and the unique features of workplace and child health. Chapters on risk perception and stakeholder engagement would have been valuable. Chapters 17 to 27 cover case studies ranging from specific chemicals to hazardous waste, each illustrating different challenges or phenomena (e.g., data gaps, intraspecific variability, multi-pathway exposure, and endocrine disruption). One chapter is devoted to ecologic risk assessment. The strengths and limitations of risk assessment and the role of a precautionary approach are made clear. The editors recognize that risk assessment is a constantly evolving field. Although intended as an introduction for public health students, most of the book will be readily comprehensible to a nontechnical audience. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and others interested in environmental health risk assessment. M. Gochfeld Robert Wood Johnson Medical School