Residues of Fire Accelerant Chemicals Volume I: Risk
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RESIDUES OF FIRE ACCELERANT CHEMICALS VOLUME I: RISK ASSESSMENT Prepared for: Intermountain Region USDA Forest Service Ogden, UT By: Headquarters: 8000 Westpark Drive, Suite 400 McLean, VA 22102 October 16, 2002 Abstract This report summarizes the results of quantitative human health and ecological risk assessments of chemical residues in the environment from the use of a variety of accelerants to ignite prescribed burns. On a per-unit basis for each ignition method, no risks were identified for human health, nor for general wildlife species. However, consideration should be given at the planning stage to protecting sensitive aquatic species in small watersheds that have limited potential for diluting residue chemicals that may run off or erode to surface water. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction.............................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background: Fire Accelerants.....................................................................................1 1.2 Identification of Accelerant Residues ..........................................................................2 1.3 Overview of the Human Health Risk Assessment .......................................................4 1.4 Overview of the Ecological Risk Assessment..............................................................4 2.0 Human Health Hazard Assessment.........................................................................................6 2.1 Background Information ..............................................................................................6 2.1.1 Duration of Tests................................................................................................6 2.1.2 Routes of Exposure ............................................................................................7 2.1.3 Units ...................................................................................................................7 2.1.4 Toxicity Endpoints .............................................................................................7 2.2 Hazard Assessment Methodology................................................................................8 2.3 Toxicity Data................................................................................................................9 2.3.1 Aluminum and Aluminum Oxide.......................................................................9 2.3.2 Calcium Sulfate ..................................................................................................9 2.3.3 Copper Oxide .....................................................................................................9 2.3.4 Diesel Fuel..........................................................................................................9 2.3.5 Gasoline............................................................................................................10 2.3.6 Iron Oxide.........................................................................................................10 2.3.7 Lead..................................................................................................................11 2.3.8 Manganese Dioxide..........................................................................................11 2.3.9 MTBE...............................................................................................................11 2.3.10 Polystyrene......................................................................................................12 2.3.11 Potassium Chloride and Potassium Hydroxide ...............................................12 2.3.12 Silicon Dioxide................................................................................................12 2.3.13 Strontium Oxide, Strontium Sulfate, and Strontium Sulfide...........................13 3.0 Human Health Exposure.......................................................................................................14 3.1 Introduction................................................................................................................14 3.2 Exposure and Dose.....................................................................................................14 3.3 Potential Exposures....................................................................................................14 3.3.1 Ingestion of Surface Water...............................................................................14 3.3.2 Ingestion of Fish...............................................................................................15 3.3.3 Incidental Soil Ingestion...................................................................................15 3.3.4 Lifetime Doses .................................................................................................16 3.4 Estimated Environmental Concentrations..................................................................16 4.0 Human Health Risk Characterization ...................................................................................19 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................................19 4.2 Methodology for Assessing Risks..............................................................................19 4.2.1 Noncarcinogenic Risk Estimation....................................................................19 4.2.2 Cancer Risk Estimation....................................................................................20 4.3 Estimated Risks from Accelerant Residues................................................................21 4.4 Discussion and Uncertainties .....................................................................................24 5.0 Ecological Problem Formulation ..........................................................................................27 5.1 Integration of Available Information .........................................................................27 5.2 Assessment Endpoints................................................................................................27 5.3 Conceptual Model......................................................................................................28 5.4 Analysis Plan..............................................................................................................28 6.0 Ecological Analysis..............................................................................................................30 6.1 Data and Models for Analysis....................................................................................30 6.2 Characterization of Exposure .....................................................................................30 6.2.1 Terrestrial Species ............................................................................................30 6.2.2 Aquatic Species ................................................................................................31 6.3 Characterization of Ecological Effects: Ecological Response Analysis and Stressor-Response Profiles.........................................................................................32 7.0 Ecological Risk Characterization..........................................................................................35 7.1 Risk Estimation ..........................................................................................................35 7.2 Estimated Risks to Terrestrial Wildlife ......................................................................35 7.3 Estimated Risks to Aquatic Wildlife..........................................................................40 7.4 Risk Discussion and Uncertainties.............................................................................40. 8.0 References.............................................................................................................................43 Attachment 1: Summary of Literature Search Attachment 2: Material Safety Data Sheets Tables 1-1. Chemicals Evaluated in Risk Assessment...............................................................................3 3-1. Estimated Environmental Concentrations.............................................................................18 4-1. Unit Risks to Human Health from Accelerant Residues—Adults........................................22 4-2. Unit Risks to Human Health from Accelerant Residues—Children ....................................23 4-3. Maximum Units Associated with Negligible Human Health Risk.......................................25 4-4. Comparison of Ignition Source Quantities Used to Estimated Risks....................................25 6-1. Ecotoxicity to Terrestrial Species .........................................................................................33 6-2. Ecotoxicity to Aquatic Species .............................................................................................34 7-1. Unit Risks to Mammalian Wildlife.......................................................................................36 7-2. Unit Risks to Birds................................................................................................................37 7-3. Unit Risks to Amphibians and Reptiles................................................................................38 7-4. Unit Risks to Aquatic Species...............................................................................................39 7-5. Maximum Units Associated with Negligible