E-FAST-Exposure and Fate Assessment Screening Tool Version 2014
On this page:
- What does E-FAST 2014 Do?
- How does E-FAST 2014 Work?
- Using E-FAST 2014
- Hardware and Software Requirements
- Peer Review of E-FAST
- Download and Install E-FAST
- Terms and conditions of use
What Does E-FAST 2014 Do?
The Exposure and Fate Assessment Screening Tool (E-FAST 2014) provides estimates of the concentrations of chemicals released to air, surface water, landfills, and consumer products. Estimates provided are potential inhalation, dermal and ingestion dose rates resulting from releases of chemicals. Modeled estimates of concentrations and doses are designed to reasonably overestimate exposures, for use in an exposure assessment in the absence of or with reliable monitoring data.
The new version of E-FAST (2014) contains the same user interface, workflows, calculations, and report formats as version 2.0. However, the system has been updated to be compatible with newer Windows operating systems and to reflect the latest exposure factors from the EPA Exposure Factors Handbook (U.S. EPA, 2011).
How Does E-FAST 2014 Work?
E-FAST 2014 calculates appropriate human potential dose rates for a wide variety of chemical exposure routes, and estimates the number of days per year that an aquatic ecotoxicological concern concentration will be exceeded for organisms in the water column. Version 2014 includes a new entry page where the user enters physical/chemical property and chemical fate information. The user selects the exposure modules that need to be run in E-FAST 2014 and this will determine what p-chem and fate information is required. E-FAST 2014 also uses the Screen 3 ambient air model to estimate outdoor air exposures. E-FAST 2014 also has the capability of searching for endangered species in the vicinity of specific facilities.
Using E-FAST 2014
To execute the E-FAST 2014 model to assess general population exposure and aquatic environmental exposure and risk resulting from industrial releases, the user enters: amount of chemical releases; media of release; days per year of release; certain chemical properties; where possible, detailed release location data; if no detailed location data is available, generic industry codes can be applied. To execute the consumer exposure assessment modules in E-FAST 2014, the user enters: the type of product; weight fraction; vapor pressure; and molecular weight.
The program produces a summary sheet with multimedia concentrations from multiple release activities. Risk assessors can use the potential dose estimated by E-FAST 2014 in assessing potential exposure and risk at a screening level.
Hardware and Software Requirements
An IBM-compatible with Windows® 95 or later, with 32 MB RAM and 85 MB hard disk space, and at a minimum a Pentium processor or equivalent.
Peer Review of E-FAST
The consumer exposure portions of E-FAST have been peer reviewed by experts outside EPA, and EPA has developed E-FAST 2014 using the external peer review comments for the general population, down-the-drain, environmental exposure and risks aspects of E-FAST.
Download and Install E-FAST
Download the E-FAST model which is a self-extracting executable file
Please read the E-FAST 2014 Questions/Answers before contacting the EPA with questions.
An online training course is also available for E-FAST 2014.
The E-FAST 2014 Documentation Manual is based on the previous version of the tool, E-FAST V2.0. The manual is still relevant to the current 2014 version because no changes were made to the calculations or processing of calculations in the model.
Terms and conditions of use
- Permission is granted for individuals to download and use the software on their personal and business computers. Users may not alter, modify, merge, adapt, or prepare derivative works from the software.
- Professional judgment is needed to determine adequacy and applicability of the models and methods provided in E-FAST 2014.
EPA Technical Contacts:
Nathan Mottl
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxic
New Chemicals Division
e-mail: [email protected]