Step 2.1 Estimating Exposure Doses

Exposure Dose Types

An exposure dose is an estimate of the amount of a chemical that enters a person’s body when the person comes in contact with the chemical. To view the three types of exposures that are considered in a toxicologic evaluation, click on the three entries below.

Inhalation (breathing air that contains the chemical)

Ingestion (eating or drinking something that contains the chemical)

Dermal contact (skin contact with the chemical)

In conducting a toxicologic evaluation, the health assessor’s first step is to estimate the exposure doses. An exposure dose is estimated for each way that people actually come in contact with a chemical.

Page last reviewed: May 31, 2016