Human health risk assessment of endosulfan: II. Dietary exposure assessment

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) performed dietary exposure assessments for endosulfan in 1998 and 2002, respectively. Results of the USEPA assessment showed an increased risk for the population sub-group “Children 1–6 years” (>100% of the Population Adjusted Dose [PAD]). USEPA then required registrants to satisfy database uncertainties by performing subchronic neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity studies and, based on the results, USEPA decreased the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA, 1996) Safety Factor from 10× to 1×. Additionally, several tolerances on commodities consumed in quantity by children were cancelled in 2006. CDPR re-evaluated the dietary risk initially performed in 1998 after review of these same studies. Based on a review of the revised USEPA tolerances, decreased usage, decreased consumption, cancellations, and prior health protective margins of exposure (MOEs > 100), CDPR determined that it was not necessary to redo the 1998 exposure assessment. In 2007, USEPA conducted a new human health risk assessment for endosulfan combining food + drinking water residues that characterized dietary risk as %PAD = ([Exposure ÷ PAD] × 100). For all relevant USEPA population sub-groups, the %PADs were < 100% (health protective benchmark).