In risk assessment, which component summarizes risk by combining hazard and exposure information?

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

Answer: (C)

Risk characterization is the step that brings together what could cause harm (hazards) with how much exposure occurs to summarize the overall risk. It uses information from hazard identification and dose–response assessments, along with exposure assessment, to estimate the likelihood and magnitude of adverse effects and to describe the uncertainties and variability in that estimate. Hazard identification tells us what kinds of harm a substance can cause, exposure assessment estimates how, how much, and how often people or ecosystems are exposed, and dose–response shows how effect scales with dose. The synthesis of all of these elements into a final risk estimate and its clarity about confidence and uncertainty is what makes risk characterization the best description of the combined hazard and exposure.