340821-001 FINAL United Keno HHERA 4 May 2011

Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for the Historic Keno Hill Mine Site
GLOSSARY
Term Description
The application of a mathematical relationship based on body weight to an
Allometric Scaling available feed-to-mammal and feed-to-bird transfer factor to derive a value
for a biota for which no measured value exists.
Assessment Endpoint
A quantitative or quantifiable expression of the environmental value
considered to be at risk in a risk assessment.
Benchmark A standard by which something can be measured or judged.
Biota The animal and plant life of a region
Carcinogen An agent that has the potential to cause cancer.
Cautious
As used in the term cautious estimates, this is considered a pessimistic or an
over-estimate of the level, effect or hazard, as the case may be.
Constituent
A substance that has the potential to alter the natural composition of air,
water or soil.
Dose
The amount of a substance to which a person or ecological receptor is
exposed over some time period. Dose is a measurement of exposure.
The application of a formal framework, analytical process, or model to
estimate the effects of human actions(s) on a natural resource and to
Ecological Risk interpret the significance of those effects in light of the uncertainties
Assessment
identified in each component of the assessment process. Such analysis
includes initial hazard identification, exposure and dose-response
assessments, and risk characterization.
Environmental Impact
A change in environmental conditions resulting from an action or
development, which may be negative, positive, or neutral.
Exposure
The amount of a pollutant (chemical) present in a given environment that
represents a potential health threat to living organisms.
Exposure Pathway
The path from sources of COPC via air, soil, water, or food to man and
other species or settings.
Potential for exposure to radiation, a chemical, or other COPC to cause
Hazard
illness or injury to humans or ecological receptors. Hazard identification of
a given substances is an informed judgment based on verifiable toxicity data
from animal models or human studies.
Evaluating the effects of a COPC or determining a margin of safety for an
Hazard Assessment organism by comparing the concentration which causes toxic effects with an
estimate of exposure to the organism.
The ratio of estimated site-specific exposure to a single chemical from a site
Hazard Quotient over a specified period to the estimated daily exposure level at which no
adverse health effects are likely to occur.
Hepatotoxicity A general term for liver damage.
Human Health Risk The evaluation of whether there is likely to be an adverse health effect
Assessment
caused by the potential exposure to COPC in the environment.
340821-001 – FINAL – May 2011 G-1 SENES Consultants Limited