Figure 5. High-throughput chemical risk prioritization to rapidly prioritize large numbers of chemicals.

Evaluation of potential risk by comparing distributions of dose with potentially adverse effect and potential exposure. For TK we can account for both uncertainty and variability. If the hazard and exposure distributions are far apart, as shown on the left, then potential risk is lower – it means exposure probably doesn’t reach a level where there would be an adverse effect. If the lower tail of the hazard distribution starts to overlap the upper tail of the exposure distribution, as shown in the middle, then potential risk is medium. And if the hazard and exposure distributions totally overlap, as shown on the right, then potential risk is higher – it means that exposure is more likely to reach a level where there might be an adverse effect.