Appendix F - Dermal Uptake of Chemicals from Soil

The internal dose experienced during a dermal exposure to soil-bound chemicals depends on many factors. An algorithm that describes the uptake of chemicals from soil as a function of exposure duration, exposure frequency, chemical concentration in the soil, soil loading, surface area, body weight, averaging time, and fractional absorption (ABS) is discussed in Chapter 6. The purpose of section F.1 is to summarize ABS for selected chemicals. The chemicals are 4,4’-methylene dianiline, hexachlorocyclohexanes, diethylhexylphthalate, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), pentachlorophenol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), and the salts of arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, and chromium (specifically hexavalent chromium). The chemicals are on a list of "Hot Spots" substances, and the basis for their selection for ABS can be found in Appendix E. To familiarize the reader with some of the complex issues of dermal absorption of chemicals from soil, a general discussion is presented before the summaries of the selected chemicals.