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INDICATORS IM HEALTH AND
ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSIflESIT
Fifth Symposium of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL)
Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Research
Triangle Park, NC, June 6-8, 2OOO
The Fifth NHEERL Symposium will
explore commonalities in selection,
application, interpretation, and evaluation
of indicators for human health and
ecological condition. The Symposium will
examine common indicator threads through
presentations of stressor-based topical
areas. To enhance interaction between
risk assessors and managers with research
scientists, invited speakers for each
session will present a risk overview, a
science overview, and a synthesis for
improvement of approach, objectives, and
performance of indicators.
PLENARY SESSION
Tuesday June €, 2000 9:00 a.m.
* Welcome Dr. Lawrence Reiter, Director,
National Health and Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL)
* Opening Remarks: The Role of
Indicators in Health and Ecosystem
Management Dr. William Fisher, Chair,
Fifth Symposium Organizing Committee,.
U.S. EPA, NHEERL
* Risk Assessment Overview for
Health and Ecology To Be Announced
* Great Lakes SOLEC Program:
Indicators for Public Health and
Ecology Dr. Paul Bertram, U.S. EPA,
Great Lakes National Program Office
* Ecological Indicator Evaluation
Guidelines Laura Jackson, U.S. EPA,
NHEERL
SYMPOSIUM
Tuesday June 6,20001:00 p.m. -
Thursday June 8,2000 Noon
1. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
2. Persistent Bioaccumulating Toxicants
3. Ambient Ozone—Understanding
Ozone Toxicology and Improving Risk
Management Strategies
4. Understanding and Managing Effects of
Global Atmospheric Change
5. Indicators for Effects and Predictions of
Harmful Algal Blooms
6. Health and Integrity of Coastal
Communities
Featured
Indicators of TOK!C Effects for Endocrine
' '' disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
A broad range and growing number of
xenobiotic chemicals disrupt endocrine
function and lead to reproductive and
developmental dysfunction. EPA is partici-
pating in a national effort (EDSTAC) to
develop, validate, and standardize a
battery of protocols for the identification
of EDCs. The session will examine mamma-
lian and fish reproduction to compare
individual vs. population indicators of
effect, characterize comparable and
multiple mechanisms of toxicity, and elabo-
rate the use of effects indicators to
identify toxicants and their sources.
Presenters
Dr. Glen Van Der Kraak, University of Guelph,
Ontario
Dr. D. Stewart Irvine, Centre for Reproductive
Biology, Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Claude Hughes, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
.
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A diverse group of long-lasting, highly toxic
contaminants are associated with cancer
and a variety of neural, reproductive, and
developmental abnormalities in humans,
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fish, and wildlife. The session will identify
scientific needs for determining fate,
deposition, bioaccumulation, ecological
toxicity, and health effects of PBTs
through examination of indicators for
mercury and PCBs.
Presenters
Dr. Michael Meyer, Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources
Dr. Philippe Grandjean, Odense University,
Denmark
Dr. Ake Bergmenf Stockholm University,
Sweden
^ );j:;l Management Strategies" \< - •-
Ozone is a ubiquitous pollutant that elicits
a diversity of plant and animal responses.
Recent modeling efforts have attempted to
improve estimates of exposure and dose,
as well as prediction of plant and human
responses. The session will identify limita-
tions of our current scientific knowledge
and will emphasize key issues underlying
risk assessment and resource manage-
ment.
Presenters
Dr. Edward Postlethwait, University of Texas,
Galveston
Dr. William McDonnell, U.S. EPA, NHEERL
Dr. George Taylor, George Mason University
.Understanding and
'
Increases in ultraviolet irradiation, global
climate change and flux of reactive atmo-
spheric nitrogen have created atmospheric
variability at regional and global scales.
The session will examine biotic responses
in both terrestrial (e.g., forest) and coastal
marine (coral reefs and estuaries) ecosys-
tems.
Presenters
Dr. Michael Mann, University of Virginia
Dr. Richard T. Barber, Duke University
Dr. Grace Brush, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Jonathan Patz, Johns Hopkins School of
Hygiene and Public Health
Dr. Terry Yates, University of New Mexico
Indicators ?©r Effects and Predictions of
& *,T ^{.Ha^mful/^IgaS Blooms -
A growing number of microbial bloom
events—including dinoflagellates, diatoms,
bacteria, and cyanobacteria—have created
public health issues for drinking water,
seafood consumption, and recreation, as
well as disease and mortality for fish,
shellfish, arid marine mammals. The ses-
sion will examine indicators for adverse
effects and for environmental factors that
trigger blooms and toxin production.
Presenters
Dr. Daniel Roelke, Texas A&M University
Dr. Alfred Hanson, University of Rhode Island
Dr. John Walsh, University of South Florida
Dr. Wayne Carmichael, Wright State University
and Integrity of Coastal
ff r° ' * >« Communities
Unrelenting growth of coastal populations
reduces the quality and quantity of coastal
resources and, ultimately, threatens both
ecological integrity and public health. The
session will review indicators for chemical
contamination, microbial pathogens, and
nutrient enrichment in coastal systems,
and will examine concepts that incorporate
human health as an element of coastal
community integrity.
Presenters
Dr. Scott Nixon, University of Rhode Island
Dr. Mark Tamplin, USDA
Dr. Jeff Steevens, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dr. Paul Bertram, U.S. EPA
Dr. Benjamin Sherman, University of New
Hampshire
To obtain further information and to
register for the Fifth NHEERL Symposium,
visit
http://www.lcgnet.com/epasymposium.
If you have any questions regarding the
symposium, please contact Tina Pensare
at 703-351-7738
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