ExpoKids: An R-based tool for characterizing aggregate chemical exposure during childhood

Abstract

Background Aggregate exposure, the combined exposures to a single chemical from all pathways, is a critical children’s health issue. Objective The primary objective is to develop a tool to illustrate potential differences in aggregate exposure at various childhood lifestages and the adult lifestage. Methods We developed ExpoKids (an R-based tool) using oral exposure estimates across lifestages generated by US EPA’s Exposure Factors Interactive Resource for Scenarios Tool (ExpoFIRST). Results ExpoKids is applied to illustrate aggregate oral exposure, for ten media, as average daily doses (ADD) and lifetime average daily doses (LADD) in five graphs organized across seven postnatal childhood lifestages and the adult lifestage. This data visualization tool conveys ExpoFIRST findings, from available exposure data, to highlight the relative contributions of media and lifestages to chemical exposure. To evaluate the effectiveness of ExpoKids, three chemical case examples (di[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate [DEHP], manganese, and endosulfan) were explored. Data available from the published literature and databases for each case example were used to explore research questions regarding media and lifestage contributions to aggregate exposure. Significance These illustrative case examples demonstrate ExpoKids’ versatile application to explore a diverse set of children’s health risk assessment and management questions by visually depicting specific media and lifestage contributions to aggregate exposure.