Fish consumption advisories: toward a unified, scientifically credible approach

A model is proposed for fish consumption advisories based on consensus-derived risk assessment values for common contaminants in fish and the latest risk assessment methods. The model accounts in part for the expected toxicity to mixtures of chemicals, the underlying uncertainties in the health and exposure data, and the amount of contaminated fish consumed. Application of the model to a larger number of chemicals is possible. Noncancer toxicity is used as an example, but this model is applicable for risks from cancer as well. A second related model is proposed that is useful for comparing potential risks among sites (e.g., rivers and lakes).