Intake fraction

Intake fraction is a measurement of pollution and it can be used in the determination of the environmental health impact of a pollutant source. Intake fraction is the ratio of the mass of a pollutant inhaled or ingested to the mass of the pollutant emitted. Traditionally, scientists and policy makers have used a source-oriented approach to reduce health impacts from pollution. That is, they identified the largest producers of various pollutants and worked to reduce the amount of pollutants emitted. Exposure assessment, also referred to as exposure analysis, is a receptor-oriented science, and practitioners in this field focus on the sources of pollutants that result in the largest human exposure. The same principles can be used to assess pollutant impact on non-human organisms, but most exposure analysts focus on humans. Intake fraction is a measurement of pollution and it can be used in the determination of the environmental health impact of a pollutant source. Intake fraction is the ratio of the mass of a pollutant inhaled or ingested to the mass of the pollutant emitted. Traditionally, scientists and policy makers have used a source-oriented approach to reduce health impacts from pollution. That is, they identified the largest producers of various pollutants and worked to reduce the amount of pollutants emitted. Exposure assessment, also referred to as exposure analysis, is a receptor-oriented science, and practitioners in this field focus on the sources of pollutants that result in the largest human exposure. The same principles can be used to assess pollutant impact on non-human organisms, but most exposure analysts focus on humans. Intake fraction is the total mass of a pollutant ingested or inhaled by all exposed individuals over a given time, per total mass of the pollutant emitted. The intake fraction can be divided into components that identify the specific pollutant source, route, media, and subpopulation of exposed individuals. For example, policy makers may be interested in the total mass of mercury emitted by one specific coal-burning electric generator that is ingested in water by the residents living below the poverty level in one specific town.