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Deterministic risk assessment for hydrogen installations offers an integrated solution for H 2 risk assessment, incorporating a hydrogen release model, a site-specific 3D geometry model, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool, and a consequence analysis methodology. Empirical engineering models expedite the preparation of source terms and harm evaluations, while CFD generates 3D contours of radiation and overpressure loads. A case study is provided by investigating a gaseous hydrogen leak of a truck in a refueling station with a large roof. The effects of leak diameters, roof configurations, and ignition locations on hydrogen dispersion, combustion, and hazard analysis are examined. Results indicate that the majority of the burnable cloud accumulates in a half-meter layer under the ceiling, diminishing within a minute. The impact of thermal radiation on individuals is insignificant, but overpressures increase the likelihood of structure failures, indirectly affecting human fatality. These findings inform the optimization of refueling station design and safety management. • CFD-based Deterministic Risk Assessment approach to assess the safety of hydrogen installations. • Addressing potential hydrogen explosions due to the current ceiling design. • Minimal injury likelihood from hydrogen flame contact or thermal radiation. • Revealing insights for optimizing ceiling design and hydrogen risk mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract One of the input parameters in food allergy risk assessment is the amount of a given food consumed at an eating occasion. There is no consensus on how to use food consumption data when assessing the risk from unintended allergen presence in food products. A sensitivity analysis was performed to establish the optimal food consumption estimate for a deterministic food allergy risk assessment. Exposure was calculated for consumption percentiles (50th percentile, P50 to maximum) using the iFAAM consumption database in conjunction with an allergen concentration range from 1 to 1000 ppm. The resulting allergen intakes were compared to the allergic population reference doses proposed by Taylor et al. (2014) for 10 major allergenic foods. Optimal consumption percentiles were defined as those which predicted an intake below the relevant reference dose and met the defined acceptable risk level confirmed by probabilistic risk assessments. Analysis showed that, for 99% of the food groups, the P50 consumption met our criteria, while the P75 did so for 100% of the food groups. We suggest that the P75 is the optimal point estimate for use in deterministic food allergy risk assessment. It meets the safety objective and is adequately conservative for a public health context. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • We derived single food consumption values for food groups for deterministic allergen risk assessment. • For almost all food groups the median consumption amount fulfils the defined safety objective in the risk assessment. • With the P75 consumption, deterministic and probabilistic risk assessment have a similar conclusion for all food groups. • The sensitivity analysis developed can be applied to any ED-value chosen as a safety objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of guidance regarding selection of food intake values for allergen risk assessment can lead to different outcomes for similar levels of allergens in food products. Several food consumption survey databases (United States, North-West Europe, and Netherlands) were analyzed to identify optimal food intake percentiles using a sensitivity analysis. Deterministic risk assessment scenarios using the 50th percentile up to the maximum intake per food group were compared with probabilistic risk assessment outcomes. The optimal intake percentile is the lowest percentile that results in a deterministic risk assessment outcome compliant with the predefined safety objective, i.e., the predefined risk of an objective allergic reaction at ED01, ED2.5, ED05 or ED10 doses of 14 allergenic foods. The P50 intake met these criteria in more than 99.9% of all 28,784 scenarios tested. The P50 is therefore recommended for deterministic allergen risk assessment and calculation of action levels for precautionary allergen labelling. In case a P50 value is not available, the mean is a good alternative, as analyses of the intake data showed that the mean generally is between the P50 and P65. • A sensitivity analysis provided optimal point estimates of consumption distributions. • The analysis addressed safety objectives from ED01 to ED10. • The addressed ED-range covered FAO-WHO recommended Reference Doses. • The 50th percentile of single meal consumption generally fulfilled the predefined safety objectives. • Mean single meal consumption is an alternative for use in allergen risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyphosate is a herbicide used to control broad-leaved weeds. Some uses of glyphosate in crop production can lead to residues of the active substance and related metabolites in food. This paper uses data on residue levels, processing information and consumption patterns, to assess theoretical lifetime dietary exposure to glyphosate. Initial estimates were made assuming exposure to the highest permitted residue levels in foods. These intakes were then refined using median residue levels from trials, processing information, and monitoring data to achieve a more realistic estimate of exposure. Estimates were made using deterministic and probabilistic methods. Exposures were compared to the acceptable daily intake (ADI)—the amount of a substance that can be consumed daily without an appreciable health risk. Refined deterministic intakes for all consumers were at or below 2.1% of the ADI. Variations were due to cultural differences in consumption patterns and the level of aggregation of the dietary information in calculation models, which allows refinements for processing. Probabilistic exposure estimates ranged from 0.03% to 0.90% of the ADI, depending on whether optimistic or pessimistic assumptions were made in the calculations. Additional refinements would be possible if further data on processing and from residues monitoring programmes were available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by filamentous fungi, as Aspergillus , Penicillium and Fusarium . The first objective of this research was to study the presence of mycotoxins in 60 samples of refrigerated pizza dough, by extraction with methanol and determination by liquid chromatography associated with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Then, the estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) of these mycotoxins, among the Spanish population, was calculated and the health risk assessment was performed, comparing the EDIs data with the tolerable daily intake values (TDIs). The mycotoxins detected in the analyzed samples were aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ), aflatoxin B 2 (AFB 2 ), aflatoxin G 1 (AFG 1 ), zearalenone (ZEA), enniatin A (ENA), enniatin A 1 (ENA 1 ), enniatin (ENB), enniatin B 1 (ENB 1 ) and BEA (beauvericin) with average concentration of the positive samples of 4.09 μg/kg, 0.50 μg/kg, 0.79 μg/kg, 77.78 μg/kg, 14.96 μg/kg, 4.54 μg/kg, 3.37 μg/kg, 1.69 μg/kg and 22.39 μg/kg, respectively. The presence of ZEA, ENA 1 , ENB and ENB 1 was detected in 100% of the samples, AFB 2 in 32%, AFB 1 in 23%, ENA in 8% and BEA in 3%. Twelve percent of the samples contaminated with AFB 1 and 12% of the doughs contaminated with ZEA exceeded the EU legislated maximum limits. The dietary intakes were estimated considering three different age groups of population, and the EDIs calculated for the mycotoxins detected in the samples were all below the established TDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the chronic cumulative exposure to organophosphorus (OPs), carbamates (CBs) and pyrethroid and pyrethrin (PPs) pesticides in the region of Valencia through fruit and vegetables consumption is presented. A total of 752 samples and 84 pesticides were studied of which, 52 were OPs, 23 CBs and 9 PPs. Residue data were derived from the Valencia Region monitoring program 2007–2011 and food consumption levels from a questionnaire-based dietary survey conducted in 2010 in the same area. The relative potency factor (RPFs) approach was used to estimate chronic cumulative dietary exposure to OPs, CBs and PPs using acephate, oxamyl and deltamethrin as index compounds, respectively. The exposure was estimated using a deterministic approach and two scenarios were assumed for left-censored results: the lower-bound (LB) scenario, in which unquantified results (below the limit of quantification (LOQ)) were set to zero and the upper-bound (UB) scenario, in which unquantified results were set to the LOQ. Results demonstrate that the chronic exposure of the young (<16 years) and adult (≥16 years) population to pesticides through fruits and vegetables is under control (even at high or frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables), for the three groups of pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Deterministic and probabilistic approaches are used here to calculate the human health risk associated with trihalomethanes (THMs) in the water supply of three communities namely: St. John''s, Clarenville and Shoal Harbour located in Canada''s Newfoundland and Labrador province. Every effort is made to utilize the latest information on chloroform toxicology to quantify cancer risks through different exposures. Showering and drinking activities are identified as major sources of exposure. Chloroform is considered as the most significant THM compound during risk assessment because of its high concentrations in the chlorinated water supply and its carcinogenic characteristics. During shower, the major exposure pathways of chloroform are inhalation and dermal absorption. Inhalation pathway is due to high volatility of chloroform, which causes high concentration in confined space (shower stall) while showering with hot water. Two different deterministic approaches are used to determine the shower air concentration. The first approach is based on statistical model developed by Kar [2000, Environmental and Health Risk Assessment of Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water – A Case Study. M.Eng Dissertation. Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John''s, NL]. The second deterministic approach is based on a transient mass balance of the air in the shower stall. For dermal exposure mode, three different approaches (i.e. traditional steady state approach, membrane approach and statistical model by Kar) are used. Ingestion is considered the major pathway to account for the drinking activity. Among the three exposure routes only the inhalation route due to shower activity has predicted risk values several times higher than the generally acceptable risk of 1 per million. Probabilistic risk assessment is also conducted to account for uncertainty and variability in the analysis. The maximum likelihood of worst consequence is also identified by probabilistic methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]