What is human health risk assessment using the Johnson & Ettinger model?

Human health risk assessment using the Johnson & Ettinger model (EQRS J&E) quantifies the intrusion of volatile organic compound vapors from soil or groundwater into indoor building air. It calculates an attenuation factor (alpha) and compares indoor air concentrations to toxicological reference values to establish the Hazard Quotient (QD) and the Individual Excess Risk (ERI).

Is the software compliant with French and US methodologies?

Yes. Calculations comply with the EPA 2004 guidance (Johnson & Ettinger model) and the ANSES 2018 doctrine, as well as the national methodology for managing contaminated sites and soils (MEEM/MTES 2017).

How many substances are supported?

74 substances (volatile organic compounds, chlorinated solvents, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals) with ANSES toxicological reference values kept up to date.

Do you offer a free trial?

Yes, a free 14-day trial is available with no credit card required, directly in the browser.

Human Health Risk Assessment — EQRS Johnson & Ettinger (Vapor Intrusion)

Features

Everything a contaminated-site IEM requires

74 substances

VOCs, chlorinated solvents, PAHs, metals — ANSES database kept up to date with cancer/non-cancer VTR.

QD & ERI

Hazard quotient and individual excess risk for adult, child (ADAF=3) and worker, in line with ANSES guidance.

8-variable parametric study

Sub-slab height, area, permeability, source depth, capillary fringe thickness, ventilation, etc.

Attenuation factor α

Automatic calculation per EPA 2004 (soil/groundwater) with adjustment for depth, building parameters, and soil-gas properties.

PDF generation

Complete report: input data, assumptions, results, VLEP/VTR comparison, conclusion.

Free 14-day demo

5 substances available in demo mode. Activate your account with no credit card.

Substances covered

74 parameterized substances

All VTR (toxicological reference values) come from the ANSES 2018 reference framework and are kept up to date.

Family	Examples	No. of substances
Chlorinated solvents (COHV)	Trichloroethylene, Tetrachloroethylene, Vinyl chloride, 1,2-DCE…	14
BTEX & aromatics	Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes, Styrene…	11
PAH	Benzo(a)pyrene, Naphthalene, Anthracene, Pyrene…	16
Petroleum hydrocarbons	Hexane, Heptane, Octane, C5-C8 / C9-C16 fractions…	12
Metals and metalloids (volatile forms)	Elemental mercury, Arsenic, Tetraethyl lead…	9
Other VOCs	Chloroform, Carbon tetrachloride, Acetone, MTBE…	12

New in v2 — INERIS / US-EPA compliance

Σ QD and Σ ERI by target organ

Cumulative effects are only summed between substances acting on the same organ — methodology per INERIS DRC-09-103096-09387C and US-EPA RAGS Part A §8.2 / §8.3.

13 target organs — threshold effects

Blood, nervous system, liver, kidneys, respiratory system, thyroid, cardiovascular system, immunity, skin, development… each with its own adult/child Σ QD.

8 target cancers — non-threshold effects

Leukemia, hepatocellular carcinoma, bronchial cancer, skin, kidney, digestive tract, upper aerodigestive tract, thyroid — Σ ERI by cancer type.

Automatic executive summary

Worst adult/child Σ QD and Σ ERI at the top of the report, color-coded impact level (acceptable / caution / unacceptable), integrated health descriptions.

Dynamic conceptual site model

BRGM/INERIS style — geological cross-section, a-h arrows color-coded per worst Σ by organ on each exposure pathway (8 pathways).

Complete 1-click 14-page PDF report

Cover page, executive summary, conceptual site model, Σ-by-organ tables, calculation notes (DJE / QD / ERI), complete threshold and non-threshold VTR tables (~100 substances), QD/ERI detail by pathway and target, adaptive conclusion — ready to submit to DDT / ARS.

Biological consistency

Never again an implausible sum (benzene+PCE…): only health effects of the same nature are cumulated.

View the detail of the 13 target organs and 8 cancers (INERIS / US-EPA methodology)

Threshold effects — Σ QD by organ

Blood / hematopoiesis — anemia, leukopenia (benzene, zinc)
Central nervous system — cognitive disorders (toluene, lead, Hg)
Liver — chronic hepatitis, fibrosis (PCE, TCE, PAH)
Kidneys — nephropathy (cadmium, mercury)
Respiratory system — fibrosis, irritation (naphthalene, nickel)
Immune system — immunosuppression (PCB)
Thyroid system — hypothyroidism (cyanides)
Cardiovascular — hypertension (atrazine)
Gastrointestinal tract — mucosal lesions (Cr VI, copper)
Skin — hyperkeratosis (arsenic)
Endocrine / metabolic — selenosis (antimony, selenium)
Development / reproduction — teratogenic effects
Multiple systemic effects — dioxins, PCB-TEQ

Non-threshold effects — Σ ERI by cancer

Blood — leukemia (benzene)
Liver — hepatocellular carcinoma, angiosarcoma (PCE, chloroform, VC)
Lung — bronchial carcinoma (naphthalene, cadmium, nickel)
Skin — skin carcinoma, melanoma (B(a)P, arsenic)
Kidney — renal carcinoma (lead, TCE)
Digestive tract / multi-organ — Cr VI, carcinogenic PAH
Upper aerodigestive tract — nasopharyngeal cancer (formaldehyde)
Thyroid — acrylamide

Thresholds: QD < 0.2 acceptable • 0.2 ≤ QD < 1 caution • QD ≥ 1 unacceptable — ERI < 10⁻⁶ negligible • 10⁻⁶ ≤ ERI < 10⁻⁵ acceptable • ERI ≥ 10⁻⁵ unacceptable.

Regulatory compliance

Regulatory framework

References applied

INERIS DRC-09-103096-09387C — cumulation of QD by target organ and ERI by carcinogenic effect (national methodology).
US-EPA RAGS Part A §8.2 / §8.3 — Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund: summation by organ / by cancer type.
EPA 2004 — User's Guide for Evaluating Subsurface Vapor Intrusion Into Buildings (US EPA, 2004).
ANSES 2018 — Toxicological reference values (VTR) and IEM methodology (Interprétation de l'État des Milieux).
National contaminated-site methodology — MEEM/MTES 2017 (contaminated site management, management plan).
Johnson & Ettinger model — analytical equation for vapor intrusion (soil and groundwater).
VLEP / VLCT — occupational exposure limit values for workplace use.

EQRS Johnson & Ettinger