Question

What is the formula to calculate Hazard Index (HI)?

(a) HI = (C*I*ED*EF) / (BM*AT*RfD)

(b) HI = (C*I*EF) / (BM*AT*RfD)

(c) HI = (C*I*ED*EF) / (BM*AT)

(d) HI = (C*I*ED) / (BM)

I have been asked this question during an interview.

My query is from Risk Management in division Risk Management of Hazardous Waste Management

Answer 1

Right option is (a) HI = (C*I*ED*EF) / (BM*AT*RfD)

Explanation: Where,

C = concentration of the chemical in the contaminated medium

I = estimated intake rate of the contaminant

ED = exposure duration

EF = exposure frequency

BM = body mass

AT = averaging time

RfD = reference dose for the chemical of interest

If the HI is below 1, it is highly unlikely that exposure to the chemical would lead to an adverse health effect. If the HI is greater than unity (LO), remediation may be warranted.