Tracking the unseen risks we all breathe
Air Quality Assessment
Safeguarding air quality is a fundamental objective of health agencies the world over. Improving our understanding of air pollutants and health requires robust evidence on exposures among vulnerable and sensitive populations, expert-based evaluation of diverse types of scientific evidence, scientifically defendable approaches to conducting weight of evidence assessments, and quantitative skills for deriving safe exposure levels.
How RSI delivers Air Quality Assessment
RSI begins projects with a problem formulation phase to better understand the specific scope of questions to guide the risk assessment. The team has expertise in designing bibliographic and grey literature search strategies. We follow best-practices for conducting systematic or rapid literature reviews, covering human studies, animal studies, in vivo and in vitro mechanistic studies, and toxicokinetic studies. When appropriate, quality or risk of bias assessments are conducted as part of study evaluation. Evidence summaries and weight of evidence assessments are conducted to provide scientifically sound hazard assessment. Exposure assessment and any dose-response modelling of health effects are conducted by our statisticians. Points of departure recommendations can be provided, including benchmark dose modelling. Recommendations are provided in line with the scope of the project.
Why RSI is trusted to deliver
The RSI team has been conducting air quality risk assessments for decades. The team includes epidemiologists, toxicologists, and statisticians to assess evidence from human studies, animal studies, in vivo and in vitro mechanistic studies, and toxicokinetic studies. Recent work has included the application of data arising from New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).
Understanding, managing, and communicating risk
Why this image?
Air quality assessment isn’t just about measuring pollutants—it’s about protecting the everyday human experience of breathing freely and safely. The image of a woman stretching out her arms and breathing in the open air captures the personal, tangible outcome of good air quality: the ability to live, work, and thrive without invisible threats. It reminds us that behind every data point is a person seeking clean, healthful air.