Program Overview

Program Brochure [PDF - 587KB]

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a U.S. Public Health Service agency, defines exposure-dose reconstruction as an approach that uses computational models and other approximation techniques to estimate cumulative amounts of hazardous substances internalized by individuals presumed to be or who are actually at risk from contact with substances associated with hazardous waste sites.

Health scientists and assessors have not always had access to information-especially historical information regarding an individual’s direct measure of exposure to and dose of chemicals associated with hazardous waste sites. To counter this challenge, during March 1993, ATDSR established the Exposure-Dose Reconstruction Program (EDRP). EDRP represents a coordinated, comprehensive effort to develop sensitive, integrated, science-based methods for improving health scientists’ and assessors’ access to current and historical exposure-dose characterization. Additionally, EDRP coordinates various projects that cover disciplines, which include environmental, geochemical, epidemiological and biomedical.

Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of the EDRP is to enhance the agency’s capacity to assess exposure and dose-with special emphasis on characterizing past exposures, to better support health assessments and consultations, health studies, and exposure registries. To achieve this goal, the EDRP developed two objectives:

(1) to significantly enhance the agency's ability to understand and use existing science-based methods and tools to assess past and current exposure and dose, and

(2) to encourage developing new and improved technologies and methods that can be used by agency and non-agency scientists.

Although the emphasis of the program is on estimating past exposures to chemicals associated with hazardous waste sites, ATSDR also uses direct personal space and biologic sampling to determine current exposure levels. These direct exposure methods complement the overall vision of the EDRP.

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