ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS

Abstract

When dealing with maximum allowable concentrations (MAC) in the environment, one generally does not know which mechanisms and suppositions stand behind the adopted MAC values. Two approaches are presented. The first is the environmental approach, which considers any form of man-made pollution in the environment to be unnatural and thus not acceptable – hence, any detectable quantity or concentration is potentially harmful. This approach sets MAC at the detection limit of current tools of analytical chemistry. The second is the realistic, scientific approach based on a health-risk analysis, i.e. the probability that, in a population of 100,000, one person will fall ill or die due to pollution if he/she drinks 2 litres of water daily throughout the expected lifespan of 70 years. In this case, MAC is calculated on the basis of field data (environmental accidents) or in-vitro measurements. The contribution presents some typical conflict situations in Slovenia following.