Soil and Water Science in Assessing Risk.

The links between soils, water, and health have long been appreciated, if not widely acknowledged or fully understood.  Hippocrates noted that water from particular soils contained harmful heavy metals; Marco Polo drew a connection between soil quality and bellicosity; and societies through centuries and across continents consumed soil with the varying intents of supplementing nutritional needs, alleviating gastric pain, or meeting an early demise.  In more recent years coordinated efforts recognizing the importance of understanding the relationships between soil and water science and public health, and the need for the two disciplines to collaborate in research and risk assessment, have become progressively more common.  We are increasingly aware of the host of chemical, biological, physical, mechanical, and psychosocial health risks that exist at the human-environment interface.  Soil- and water-related examples of environmental health risks include surface water contamination by pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) (chemical),  antibiotic resistant soil microbes (biological), radiation (physical), failure of earthen dams (mechanical), and community displacement due to desertification and associated stress (psychosocial).  Thus, individuals with expertise in the soil and water sciences are needed to accurately identify, quantify, and manage such risks.  The presentation will provide an overview of when, why, and how various types of risk assessments are performed.  Emphasis will be placed on the components of chemical risk assessment in which soil and water scientists have a significant role to play in contributing scientific data, modeling expertise, interpretation of findings, and risk communication.