A Conservative Framework to Derive Preliminary Canine Toxicity Reference Values From Human Data for Contaminated Soil...

Environmental contamination of soils presents health risks not only to humans but also to companion animals such as dogs, which often share and directly interact with these environments. Despite this, health risk assessments typically remain anthropocentric, overlooking potential hazards for domestic animals that may experience similar or even higher exposure to certain contaminants, particularly through soil ingestion. This study proposes a novel framework for adapting human toxicity reference values (TRVs) to canine health risk assessment, focusing on threshold-based ingestion exposures. A comprehensive compilation of ingestion-based human TRVs for a broad range of pollutants commonly detected in contaminated soils was conducted. These values were extrapolated to dogs using an established allometric scaling method based on body mass and metabolic rate. This approach fills a critical gap in contaminated land management by proposing scientifically grounded, canine-specific TRVs, while advancing a One Health perspective. Although the lack of toxicokinetic data for many substances currently limits further refinement, the proposed methodology establishes a transparent and adaptable basis for the future inclusion of domestic animals in environmental risk assessments. By recognising dogs as both co-exposed receptors and potential sentinels of human health risks, this work contributes to a more holistic protection of health across species.