Assignment Instructions:
Using a combination of the assigned readings and researched outside sources, respond to each of the following with one or more fully developed paragraphs. Cite all sources.
Type out your responses in a Word document and submit as an attachment. This assignment is automatically submitted to Turnitin with your submission.
1. Discuss some general considerations for sampling and sample preparation and for the special issue of handling sampling ‘nondetects.’
2. Explain why the analysis of cofactors (the physical and chemical characteristics of the media containing the contaminant of interest) is important.
3. Your textbook provides an equation which can be used to normalize exposure data for numerous chemicals, TU = C/EC50. Briefly discuss the equation, and explain why it is useful. If TU is very large, what does this tell you?
4. Explain in what situations the use of biochemical biomarkers may be preferable to body burden in exposure analysis. Find a published journal article which uses either biochemical biomarkers or body burden for exposure analysis. Briefly summarize the article. Based on your readings, does the choice of biochemical biomarkers or body burden seem reasonable in the study? Explain.
5. Explain the importance of establishing confidence limits for environmental risk models.