Greetings.
My paper requires me to collect data regarding usage of pharmaceutical products/uncommon drugs in three local hospitals. Research can only be done through emails, calls and generally virtual communication due to the COVID-19 lockdown that is still ongoing. These are the data I could obtain:
1. Top 10 most utilized pharmaceutical products/uncommon drugs (all forms- capsules, iv, etc) from each hospital (total= 30)
2. Usage/purchase of the mentioned drugs within 5 years (2015-2019)
3. Consumer of mentioned drugs (adult/children/elderly)
4. Other details of the listed drugs which can be searched online: chemical compound, density, concentration, forms, stability, etc
I have some problems on finding for the right risk-assessment equations that can be used with only the data above. I was thinking of risk quotient (RQ) formula but it requires the concentration of respective drug in surface waters/environment in the equation, and I'm afraid I'm not able to come down to the lab anytime soon to analyse environmental samples. I also included the exposure dose (D=[(CxIRxAFxEF)/BW] since the data may be obtainable , except for the consumer's body weight but I might approximate it into general weight (like, adults 61.5kg). However, calculating for 30 kinds of drugs may be a bit tedious, hence I'm not sure if the equation is suitable or not for my research aim, which is to develop approach to prioritize pharmaceutical products in natural environments.
Please suggest any formula/methods on conducting environmental risk-assesment with only details regarding the number of usage over the years. If there's anything unclear, ask away. I apologise for the lack of knowledge, but feedbacks are very much appreciated.
Have a look to the link and the guideline attached.
https://tinyurl.com/yab7975f
If you do not have much information on your data, you have to do several assumptions. It is always good to provide your results with an estimation of uncertainty.
There will be other information in other national & international agencies.
Good luck
Dear Irisha H.
In Table 4 of the guideline, there are references, e.g. TGD (and you can search in the document)
But you can also search in other Agencies: US EPA, or other national EPA.
Dear Irisha H.
Environment risk assessment can be supported by several computerized predictive system that estimates aquatic toxicity. Each of them has pros & cons, I personally doubt of “magic” approach that do not consider uncertainty in the results and do not do any sensitivity analysis.
The risk assessment usually starts with the most conservative assumptions, then it can be refined (if more information will be available).
Go simpler as much as possible, if you do not have much information and you use a lot of default data, you will waste time to put effort in complicate approach.
Dear Maryell,
The acute toxicity tests, most tests are conducted to determine the nature of any toxicity that can be produced by repeatedly dosing animals over an extended period. NOAEL and LC50 and LD50 are quite popular method. The highest exposure of a chemical, determined in toxicity tests etc., having no adverse effect (e.g., onset of sickness) even when the chemical is taken (exposed) daily for the rest of one’s life. In practice, mice, rats or other animals are forced to take a chemical for a certain period of time. This test is repeated several times at varying dose levels. The highest dose level causing no adverse effect in these tests is adopted as NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level).other related terms you could use in your study like; LOAEL (Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level) NOEC (No Observed Effect Concentration) and LOEC (Lowest Observed Effect Concentration)
Risk Assessments for Understanding Chemical Effects
Use this formula for your concern. (NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) value calculation.
Toxicity studies etc., / UFs (Product of Uncertainty Factors) [ to convert it to human NOAEL (Unit converts in e.g., mg/kg/day)].
TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake)=
NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level)
UFs (product of Uncertainty Factors)
ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) and RfD (Reference Dose) are also used as terms having the same meaning as TDI.Graph you ca take between frequency of hazards vs chemical exposure.
The LD50 is defined as the lethal dose at which 50% of the population if killed in a given period of time; an LC50 is the lethal concentration required to kill 50% of the population.
Reference: https://www.nite.go.jp/en/chem/shiryo/ra/about_ra4.html
Ashish
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