Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. EPA EcoBox

EPA EcoBox Tools by Exposure Pathways

An exposure pathway is the pathway by which a stressorAny physical, chemical, or biological entity that can induce an adverse response (synonymous with agent). travels from a source to receptor(s) (U.S. EPA OSWER, 1997). A complete picture of how, when, and where exposure occurs or has occurred is developed by evaluating sources and releases of a stressor, distribution of a stressor in the environment, and extent and pattern of contact with a stressor (U.S. EPA, 1998). In evaluating potential exposure pathways for ecological receptors, air, soil, water, sediments, and food chain exposures are considered.

  • Exposure Pathways in ERA

Air
Air

See information and tools related to air

 

Soil
Soil

See information and tools related to soil

 

Water Sediment
Water and Sediment

See information and tools related to water and sediment

 

Food Chains and Webs
Food Chains

See information and tools related to food chains

EPA EcoBox

  • Basic Information
  • Phases of ERA
    • Planning and Problem Formulation
    • Analysis
    • Risk Characterization
    • Tools
  • Stressors
    • Stressors in ERA
    • Chemical
    • Biological
    • Physical
  • Receptors
    • Receptors in ERA
    • Biota
    • Endangered Species
    • Habitats and Ecosystems
  • Exposure Pathways
    • Exposure Pathways in ERA
    • Air
    • Soil
    • Water and Sediment
    • Food Chains
  • Exposure Factors
  • Effects
    • Effects in ERA
    • Aquatic
    • Terrestrial
  • Toolbox Search
Contact Us about EcoBox
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on December 26, 2024
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.