Question

An individual eats fish from a river contaminated with benzene. What concentrations of benzene in water (mg/L) would produce a lifetime cancer risk of 10-6 to an individual who eats 2 meals of fish per week for 30 years if the BCF for benzene is 10+3?

Answer 1

This question is incomplete, the complete question is;

An individual eats fish from a river contaminated with benzene. What concentrations of benzene in water (mg/L) would produce a lifetime cancer risk of 10⁻⁶ to an individual who eats 2 meals of fish per week for 30 years if the BCF for benzene is 10⁺³?

Answer:

0.021 mg/L concentration of benzene in water  would produce a lifetime cancer risk 10⁻⁶ to an individual who eats 2 meals of fish per week for 30 years if the BCF for benzene is 10⁺³

Explanation:

Chronic daily intake (CDI) =(C/W) (Intake rate/ lifetime) ( Exposure)

values from EPA Exposure Factors Table)

CDI = [ (5.2 L/d × C mg/L  0.054 kg/d) / 70 kg] [30/70] [350/365]

CDI = 1.65 × 10⁻³C

Now concentration of benzene;  ( RISK) = CDI × pF

= 10⁻⁶ = [2.9× 10⁻² / (MG/kg-d)] ( 1.65 × 10⁻³C)

C = 0.021 mg/L

Therefore 0.021 mg/L concentration of benzene in water  would produce a lifetime cancer risk 10⁻⁶