Which component integrates information to estimate the overall risk?

• A. Hazard identification.
• B. Risk characterization.
• C. Exposure assessment.
• D. Dose-response assessment.

Answer: (B)

Integrating information from multiple sources to estimate the overall risk. Risk characterization is the step that takes what we know about hazards, how much people are exposed, and how dose relates to adverse effects, and combines it into a final estimate of risk for a population or scenario. It often presents the risk in qualitative or quantitative terms and clearly communicates uncertainties and variability in the data. The other steps provide the pieces: hazard identification asks what adverse effects a substance could cause; dose–response assessment defines how response changes with dose; exposure assessment estimates how much of the substance people are exposed to and through what routes. By bringing these elements together, risk characterization gives the complete picture of the overall risk.