ORD Asks SAB to Review IRIS Toxicology Report on Inorganic Arsenic

EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) requested the Science Advisory Board to review the draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic. The draft assessment of inorganic arsenic includes:

• a summary of the chemical properties and pharmacokinetics
• hazard identification analysis for diseases of the circulatory system, pregnancy and birth outcomes, diabetes, and neurodevelopmental effects
• and dose-response analysis characterizing the quantitative relationship for the noncancer outcomes listed above as well as for bladder cancer and lung cancer.

As many know, arsenic is a regulated chemical in drinking water, with an MCL of 10 parts per billion (or 0.010 parts per million). By proposing the review to IRIS as part of the fourth cycle of the Six-Year Review of Drinking Water Standards, EPA ORD hopes to update its drinking water arsenic regulation. Included in the fourth Six-Year Review, EPA announced arsenic, along with eight other contaminants, are undergoing EPA’s health assessment process. The recent request for peer review means that EPA is in step four of the seven-step IRIS process.

Additional information can be found on the EPA website.