hazard quotient

initialism: HQ
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.14737
Ratio of toxicant exposure (estimated or measured) to a reference value regarded as corresponding to a threshold of toxicity; often this is determined as the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) divided by the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC).
Note: If the hazard quotient exceeds unity, the toxicant may produce an adverse effect, but normally this will require an HQ of several times unity; an HQ of less than one indicates that no adverse effects are likely over a lifetime of exposure.
Source:
PAC, 2009, 81, 829. (Glossary of terms used in ecotoxicology (IUPAC Recommendations 2009)) on page 895 [Terms] [Paper]
Citation: 'hazard quotient' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.14737 RIS BibTex EndNote
TextXMLJSON