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Public Health Assessment
Fish and Shellfish Evaluation,
Isla de Vieques Bombing Range,
Vieques, Puerto Rico

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June 27, 2003
Prepared by:

Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Historical Document

This Web site is provided by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ONLY as an historical reference for the public health community. It is no longer being maintained and the data it contains may no longer be current and/or accurate.

Appendix D Continued

Table D-14.

Mercury Exposure Doses According to Location
Location Fish Shellfish
Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day) Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day)
Adult Child Adult Child
1 - North LIA 0.13 0.0004 0.0009 0.03 0.0001 0.0002
2 - South LIA 0.09 0.0003 0.0006 0.02 0.0001 0.0001
3 - Esperanza 0.15 0.0005 0.0011 0.04 0.0001 0.0003
4 - Isabel Segunda 0.09 0.0003 0.0006 NS NS NS
5 - Fish Market 0.09 0.0003 0.0006 0.03 0.0001 0.0002
6 - West Vieques 0.13 0.0004 0.0009 0.03 0.0001 0.0002
All Locations 0.12 0.0004 0.0009 0.03 0.0001 0.0002


Notes: Averages were calculated using detected values only.

Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT).

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to 0.0013 mg/kg/day.

NS = not sampled



Table D-15.

Selenium Exposure Doses According to Location
Location Fish Shellfish
Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day) Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day)
Adult Child Adult Child
1 - North LIA 0.82 0.0027 0.0058 0.80 0.0026 0.0057
2 - South LIA 1.05 0.0034 0.0074 0.80 0.0026 0.0057
3 - Esperanza 1.03 0.0033 0.0073 0.85 0.0028 0.0060
4 - Isabel Segunda 0.84 0.0027 0.0060 NS NS NS
5 - Fish Market 1.15 0.0037 0.0082 0.74 0.0024 0.0052
6 - West Vieques 0.93 0.0030 0.0066 0.79 0.0026 0.0056
All Locations 0.98 0.0032 0.0070 0.80 0.0026 0.0057


Notes: Averages were calculated using detected values only.

Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT).

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to 0.015 mg/kg/day.

NS = not sampled



Table D-16.

Zinc Exposure Doses According to Location
Location Shellfish
Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day)
Adult Child
1 - North LIA 45.2 0.147 0.321
2 - South LIA 44.1 0.143 0.313
3 - Esperanza 11.2 0.036 0.079
4 - Isabel Segunda NS NS NS
5 - Fish Market 18.3 0.059 0.130
6 - West Vieques 8.0 0.026 0.057
All Locations 30.1 0.098 0.214

Notes: Averages were calculated using detected values only.

Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT).

Fish did not contain levels of zinc above health concern at any location.

Health effects were reported from exposure to 0.83 mg/kg/day.

NS = not sampled

Table D-17.

Estimated Exposure Doses from Ingestion of the Maximum Snapper Concentration
Metal Maximum Detected Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day) Oral Health Guideline (mg/kg/day) Basis for Health Guideline
Adult Child
Aluminum 10.8 0.0350 0.0766 1.0 chronic RfD
Arsenic 21.4 0.0694* 0.1518* 0.0003 chronic MRL/RfD
Barium 0.19 0.0006 0.0013 0.07 chronic RfD
Beryllium 0.01 0.00003 0.00007 0.001 chronic MRL
Chromium 0.37 0.0012 0.0026 0.003 chronic RfD (CrVI)
Cobalt 0.09 0.0003 0.0006 0.02 chronic RfD
Copper 8.21 0.0266 0.0582* 0.04 chronic RfD
Iron 6.51 0.0211 0.0462 0.3 chronic RfD
Lead 0.37 0.0012 0.0026 NA NA
Manganese 2.02 0.0066 0.0143 0.14 chronic RfD (food)
Mercury 0.09 0.0003* 0.0006* 0.0001 chronic RfD
Methylmercury 0.018 0.00006 0.00013* 0.0001 chronic RfD
Nickel 0.35 0.0011 0.0025 0.02 chronic RfD
Silver 0.11 0.0004 0.0008 0.005 chronic RfD
Selenium 1.94 0.0063* 0.0138* 0.005 chronic MRL/RfD
Zinc 21.0 0.0681 0.1490 0.3 chronic MRL/RfD


* Estimated exposure exceeds health guideline; however, an exposure dose that is higher than the MRL or RfD does not necessarily result in harmful health effects. These metals are further evaluated.

Notes: Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT).

NA = not available

Table D-18.

Estimated Exposure Doses from Ingestion of the Average Snapper Concentration
Metal Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day)
Adult Child
Arsenic, inorganic 5.64 0.0037 0.0080
Lead 0.21 0.0007 0.0015
Mercury 0.05 0.0002 0.0004
Selenium 1.12 0.0036 0.0079
Estimated Daily Dose (mg/day)
Copper 1.02 0.23 0.12
Estimated Blood Lead Level (mg/dl)
Lead 0.21 0.05 0.05

Notes: Averages were calculated using detected values only.

Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT). To calculate the exposure dose for inorganic arsenic the total arsenic concentration was used along with a conversion factor of 0.2 in the numerator.

Daily doses were calculated using the following formula: Dose = Conc. x IR.

The body metabolizes arsenic into a less harmful form at doses of 0.05 mg/kg/day.

Health effects were reported from exposure to arsenic at doses of 0.014 mg/kg/day.

Cancer effects were reported from exposures to arsenic at doses of 0.01-0.05 mg/kg/day.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to lead at doses of 0.57-27 mg/kg/day.

CDC's blood lead level of concern is 10 mg/dl.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to mercury at doses of 0.0013 mg/kg/day.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to selenium at doses of 0.015 mg/kg/day.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to copper at doses of 10 mg/day.

Table D-19.

Estimated Exposure Doses from Ingestion of Boxfish
Metal Maximum Detected Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day) Oral Health Guideline (mg/kg/day) Basis for Health Guideline
Adult Child
Arsenic 29.3 0.0190* 0.0416* 0.0003 chronic MRL/RfD
Chromium 0.08 0.0003 0.0006 0.003 chronic RfD (CrVI)
Copper 0.36 0.0012 0.0026 0.04 chronic RfD
Selenium 2.5 0.0080* 0.0176* 0.005 chronic MRL/RfD


* Estimated exposure exceeds health guideline; however, an exposure dose that is higher than the MRL or RfD does not necessarily result in harmful health effects. These metals are further evaluated.

Notes: Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT).To calculate the exposure dose for inorganic arsenic the total arsenic concentration was used along with a conversion factor of 0.2 in the numerator.

The body metabolizes arsenic into a less harmful form at doses of 0.05 mg/kg/day.

Health effects were reported from exposure to arsenic at doses of 0.014 mg/kg/day.

Cancer effects were reported from exposures to arsenic at doses of 0.01-0.05 mg/kg/day.

Health effects were reported from exposure to selenium at doses of 0.023 mg/kg/day.

Table D-20.

Estimated Exposure Doses from Ingestion of the Maximum Concentrations Detected by Universidad Metropolitana
Metal Maximum Detected Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day) Oral Health Guideline (mg/kg/day) Basis for Health Guideline
Adult Child
Arsenic 7.2 0.0047* 0.0102* 0.0003 chronic MRL/RfD
Cadmium 0.028 0.00009 0.00019 0.001 chronic RfD (food)
Lead 0.2 0.0006 0.0014 NA NA
Mercury 0.38 0.0012* 0.0027* 0.0001 chronic RfD
Selenium 1.3 0.0042 0.0092* 0.005 chronic MRL/RfD
Zinc 9.1 0.0295 0.0646 0.3 chronic MRL/RfD


* Estimated exposure exceeds health guideline; however, an exposure dose that is higher than the MRL or RfD does not necessarily result in harmful health effects. These metals are further evaluated.

Source: Caro et al. 2000

Notes: Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT).

NA = not available

Table D-21.

Estimated Exposure Doses from Ingestion of the Average Concentrations Detected by Universidad Metropolitana
Metal Average Concentration (ppm) Estimated Exposure Dose (mg/kg/day)
Adult Child
Arsenic, inorganic 1.2 0.0008 0.0017
Lead 0.2 0.0006 0.0014
Mercury 0.024 0.0001 0.0002
Selenium 0.6 0.0019 0.0043
Estimated Blood Lead Level (mg/dl)
Lead 0.2 0.05 0.05

Source: Caro et al. 2000

Notes: Averages were calculated using detected values only.

Exposure doses were calculated using 365 days/year for EF in the formula described in the Deriving exposure doses section of this appendix: (Conc. x IR x EF x ED) / (BW x AT). To calculate the exposure dose for inorganic arsenic the total arsenic concentration was used along with a conversion factor of 0.2 in the numerator.

The body metabolizes arsenic into a less harmful form at doses of 0.05 mg/kg/day.

Health effects were reported from exposure to arsenic at doses of 0.014 mg/kg/day.

Cancer effects were reported from exposures to arsenic at doses of 0.01-0.05 mg/kg/day.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to lead at doses of 0.57-27 mg/kg/day.

CDC's blood lead level of concern is 10 mg/dl.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to mercury at doses of 0.0013 mg/kg/day.

No adverse health effects were reported from exposure to selenium at doses of 0.015 mg/kg/day.



 
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