SCS Engineers Professional Engineering Staff

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Damian is a Board Certified Toxicologist with over 20 years of experience assessing the human health and ecological risks associated with chemicals in the environment and workplace, and with chemical and drug products. He is the California Risk Assessment Practice Leader and National Partner for Risk Assessment at SCS Engineers (SCS).

Dr. Damian’s project experience has included directing and preparing risk assessments and risk assessment workplans for hazardous waste sites, military bases, mine and smelter sites, radionuclide sites, landfills, and brownfields. His experience also includes emergency response (hazardous material spill) risk assessments, Proposition 65 compliance risk assessments, chemical and drug product safety assessment, preparation of integrated toxicology summaries for Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, contaminated building risk assessments, and expert witness testimony. Dr. Damian brings advanced risk assessment expertise to our clients, including Monte Carlo (probabilistic) risk assessment and pharmacokinetic / toxicokinetic modeling. Dr. Damian has been trained at Argonne National Laboratory in the use of RESRAD, the leading computer model for assessing risks associated with radioactively contaminated sites.

Examples of Dr. Damian’s specific project experience includes:

Expert Witness Support

Provided expert witness support regarding the potential health effects of uranium in groundwater (currently in progress).
Presented expert witness testimony for the California Energy Commission with regard to the potential public health impacts associated with catastrophic release of ammonia in the event of an accidental ammonia tank spill or rupture (deposition and testimony at administrative trial).
Presented expert witness testimony with regard to the potential public health impacts associated with the diversion of water from the Sacramento Delta upstream into the Camanche Reservoir. Testimony addressed the possible contamination of Camanche reservoir fish with contaminants from lower quality delta water and resulting human exposure through fish consumption (deposition and testimony at administrative trial).
Presented expert witness testimony regarding the human health risks associated with possible toxic contamination of a herd of beef cattle (deposition and testimony at juried trial).

Hazardous Waste Site Risk Assessments and Risk Assessment Workplans

Wrote a health and ecological risk assessment workplan for a 1,000-acre brownfields site in southern California. The work plan was approved by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC).
Wrote the draft basewide human health risk assessment protocol document for the U.S. Navy for the former Alameda Point Naval Air Station, Alameda, California. Arranged meetings with the U.S. Navy, California DTSC and U.S. EPA Region 9, and led negotiations regarding development of the basewide human health risk assessment protocol document.
Project Manager for several baseline multi-pathway human health and ecological risk assessments for a 1,000-acre former propellant-manufacturing site in southern California.
Prepared a health risk assessment for a former scrap metal recycling site in Tempi, Arizona consistent with Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) risk assessment guidelines. The assessment included both deterministic and probabilistic (Monte Carlo) assessment of health risks associated with residual arsenic, lead, and PCBs in soil. The Monte Carlo assessment resulted in an estimated savings of about $1.5 million in cleanup costs for the client.
Prepared a baseline human health risk assessment for the Mission Bay landfill in San Diego. Worked with a local community group to ensure community input into the risk assessment process. Worked with toxicologists from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to obtain regulatory review of the risk assessment. The risk assessment evaluated numerous exposure pathways, including the vapor intrusion pathway. The risk assessment incorporated the Precautionary Principle.
Prepared a baseline health risk assessment for Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. The risk assessment included evaluation of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway and development of soil gas cleanup levels.
Prepared a risk assessment workplan and baseline human health risk assessment for a brownfield site in Torrance, California scheduled for residential redevelopment. The site was contaminated with gasoline-related contaminants and chlorinated solvents. The risk assessment included evaluation of the vapor intrusion (indoor air) exposure pathway. The risk assessment workplan and risk assessment were approved by OEHHA and an independent board certified toxicologist representing the City of Torrance.
Prepared baseline human health and ecological risk assessments for a landfill site in southern California. The assessments evaluated potential risks associated with metals, explosives, dioxins and furans, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), VOCs, and pesticides. Numerous exposure pathways were evaluated, including the vapor intrusion pathway. The risk assessments were approved by the California DTSC.
Risk assessment lead for a comprehensive Superfund site public health evaluation for a hazardous waste drum recycling facility located in San Jose, California. Numerous exposure pathways were evaluated including: inhalation, soil ingestion, dermal contact with soil, fish consumption, dermal contact with sediment, sediment ingestion, drinking water, indoor air exposure through domestic use of groundwater, and home garden produce consumption.

Vapor Intrusion/Indoor Air Risk Assessments

Prepared a groundwater vapor intrusion risk assessment for a UST site owned by a national manufacturer of luggage. The risk assessment resulted in closure of the site within 3 months.
Prepared a baseline health risk assessment for Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. The risk assessment included evaluation of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway and development of soil gas cleanup levels.
Prepared a vapor intrusion risk assessment and developed soil gas cleanup levels for a dance studio.
Assisted in the design of an indoor air sampling plan and prepared an indoor air risk assessment for an apartment complex to evaluate potential risks to building occupants from vapor intrusion.

Monte Carlo (Probabilistic) Risk Assessments

Currently reviewing a large mine/smelter site Monte-Carlo (probabilistic) risk assessment for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Prepared a Monte Carlo (probabilistic) risk assessment for a chemical widely used in the semiconductor industry. The assessment resulted in an estimated savings of $15 million in retooling costs for a major semiconductor manufacturer.
Prepared a health risk assessment for a former scrap metal recycling site in Tempi, Arizona consistent with ADHS risk assessment guidelines. The assessment included both deterministic and probabilistic (Monte Carlo) assessment of health risks associated with residual arsenic, lead, and PCBs in soil. The Monte Carlo assessment resulted in an estimated savings of about $1.5 million in cleanup costs for the client.

Ecological Risk Assessments

Prepared a baseline ecological risk assessment for the Mission Bay landfill in San Diego. Worked with a local community group to ensure community input into the ecological risk assessment process.
Wrote an ecological risk assessment work plan for a 1,000-acre brownfields site in southern California. The work plan was approved by the California DTSC.
Prepared several baseline ecological risk assessments for a former rocket manufacturing site in southern California.
Prepared an ecological endangerment assessment for two mine sites in Uinta National Forest, Utah County, Utah (Dutchman Flats and Pacific Mine).
Developed cleanup levels to evaluate radiation risk to ecological receptors at an abandoned uranium mine in Stanislaus County, California.

Product/Drug Safety Risk Assessments

Prepared a product safety health risk assessment for a mine-derived national lawn care product. The assessment included management of a contract toxicology laboratory, geochemical characterization of the chemical forms of mine-derived lead and arsenic, and in vitro bioavailability studies of lead and arsenic. The risk assessment was reviewed and approved by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Prepared an integrated toxicology summary for a new drug product as part of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Emergency Response Risk Assessments

Evaluated the potential health impacts associated with catastrophic release of propane from a propane tank rupture. The evaluation included modeling the air dispersion of the released propane.
Evaluated the public and worker health impacts associated with production and testing of a newly designed rocket motor for the Space Shuttle. The evaluation included the assessment of impacts related to hazardous material spills, rocket motor explosions and fires, and inhalation exposure to rocket exhaust during testing. A detailed discussion of general worker health and safety practices and control technologies associated with rocket motor production was also prepared as part of the evaluation.
Prepared a screening-level analysis of the projected maximum health impacts associated with inhalation exposure to plutonium-239 (Pu-239) released during truck transport of low-level transuranic radiologic waste. Plutonium present in a hypothetical waste payload was assumed to be released via a fire resulting from a truck accident. Maximum downwind air concentrations of the released plutonium were modeled using the EPA- and California Air Resources Board-approved air dispersion models PTPLU and PTFUM. The dispersion modeling approach used included consideration of the effect of combustion gas production on the plutonium release rate. Lifetime cancer risk and the potential for noncancer-related acute toxic effects were determined based on inhalation exposure. Inhalation exposure included contributions from direct inhalation of ambient air and inhalation of resuspended particulates.

Radionuclide Risk Assessments

Prepared a radiological hazard assessment for a former uranium mine in Stanislaus County, California. The assessment evaluated the immediate health hazards associated with gamma radiation, radon exposure, consumption of radionuclide-contaminated drinking water and soil, and potential contamination of beef cattle with radionuclides. The project involved the use of RESRAD and direct measurement of gamma emissions, radon concentrations in ambient air, and airborne particulate concentrations of radionuclides to assess radiation dosages for recreational users of the site. Also developed human health and ecological screening benchmarks for acceptable levels of radionuclides in soils, surface water and sediments.
Prepared a screening-level analysis of the projected maximum health impacts associated with inhalation exposure to plutonium-239 (Pu-239) released during truck transport of low-level transuranic radiologic waste. Plutonium present in a hypothetical waste payload was assumed to be released via a fire resulting from a truck accident. Maximum downwind air concentrations of the released plutonium were modeled using the EPA- and California Air Resources Board-approved air dispersion models PTPLU and PTFUM. The dispersion modeling approach used included consideration of the effect of combustion gas production on the plutonium release rate. Lifetime cancer risk and the potential for noncancer-related acute toxic effects were determined based on inhalation exposure. Inhalation exposure included contributions from direct inhalation of ambient air and inhalation of resuspended particulates.
Prepared a health and safety plan to protect construction workers working at a dam site with plutonium-contaminated sediments.

Mining/Smelter Site Risk Assessments

Currently reviewing a large mine/smelter site Monte-Carlo (probabilistic) risk assessment for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Prepared a radiological hazard assessment for a former uranium mine in Stanislaus County, California. The assessment evaluated the immediate health hazards associated with gamma radiation, radon exposure, consumption of radionuclide-contaminated drinking water and soil, and potential contamination of beef cattle with radionuclides. The project involved the use of RESRAD and direct measurement of gamma emissions, radon concentrations in ambient air, and airborne particulate concentrations of radionuclides to assess radiation dosages for recreational users of the site. Also developed human health and ecological screening benchmarks for acceptable levels of radionuclides in soils, surface water and sediments.
Prepared a health risk assessment for a former mine facility site near Morenci, Arizona, consistent with Arizona DHS risk assessment guidelines. The assessment evaluated health risks associated with residual soil levels of arsenic. The following exposure pathways were evaluated: soil ingestion, inhalation of soil particulates, and dermal contact with soil. The assessment concluded that health risks to a hypothetical occupational population would be negligible.
Prepared a health risk assessment for a former mine tailings disposal site near Clifton, Arizona, consistent with Arizona DHS risk assessment guidelines. The assessment evaluated health risks associated with residual soil levels of arsenic and copper following site remediation. The following exposure pathways were evaluated: soil ingestion, inhalation of soil particulates, and dermal contact with soil. The assessment concluded that health risks to hypothetical residential, occupational, and student population receptors would be negligible.
Prepared a human health and ecological endangerment assessment for two mine sites in Uinta National Forest, Utah County, Utah (Dutchman Flats and Pacific Mine). The endangerment assessment included evaluating human health and ecological risks and developing arsenic and lead cleanup levels to protect a hypothetical recreational user of the site.

Hazardous/Municipal/Hotel/Hospital Waste Incinerator Risk Assessments

Assisted in the evaluation of the potential health risks associated with toxic emissions from a proposed 800-ton/day solid waste combustion facility to be located in Stanislaus County. Toxic contaminants evaluated in this assessment included heavy metals, PCBs, PAHs, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, and dibenzofurans. All potentially significant exposure pathways were evaluated, including inhalation, drinking water, fish consumption, inadvertent ingestion of soil, dermal contact with soil, and consumption of contaminated food (produce, dairy products and meat). The assessment included quantitative estimation of cancer and noncancer risks to impacted receptor populations, including sensitive receptor populations located at schools and hospitals. The risk assessment was reviewed and approved by both the California Air Resources Board and the California Department of Health Services.
Assisted in the preparation of a multi-pathway health risk assessment for the Milliken waste-to-energy facility, a 1,600-ton/day solid waste combustion facility proposed for construction in San Bernardino County, California. The assessment included estimation of human contaminant exposures and risks for the following exposure pathways: inhalation, dermal contact with soil, drinking water, fish consumption, soil ingestion, and maternal milk consumption.
Assisted in the evaluation of health impacts associated with air emissions from a hotel incinerator. Population exposures to metal and organic contaminants were estimated for the following exposure pathways: inhalation, dermal contact with soil, inadvertent soil ingestion, drinking water, home garden produce consumption, and maternal milk. Lifetime cancer risks and the potential for noncancer adverse health effects were evaluated. The risk assessment was submitted to the County of Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District.
Assessed the health effects associated with chemicals released from a proposed University of California research laboratory. The assessment included evaluating toxicology data to develop estimates of safe exposure levels for approximately 50 chemicals used at the research laboratory.

Proposition 65 Risk Assessments

Prepared a health risk assessment of a fertilizer product to support compliance with California’s Proposition 65. The assessment was prepared consistent with the requirements of Proposition 65, and included evaluation of exposure occurring through incidental soil ingestion, inhalation of airborne particulates, dermal contact and consumption of homegrown garden produce.
Evaluated the health risks associated with potential human exposure to DDT in soil as part of a real estate site audit. Total daily exposure to low levels of DDT in soil was estimated for the following pathways: inhalation, inadvertent soil ingestion, and dermal contact with soil. The risk assessment was conducted according to California Proposition 65 risk assessment guidelines to determine whether the site was in compliance with the Proposition 65 “no significant risk” level for DDT.

Miscellaneous

Project manager for a Removal Action Work Plan (RAW) and Site Remediation Completion Report (SRCR) for a 100-acre explosives site in northern California. The California DTSC approved the RAW and SRCR, and the site was certified closed.
Provided third-party critical review of a comprehensive hazardous waste disposal facility risk assessment for the County of Santa Barbara.
Evaluated the potential health risks to workers for a building contaminated with lead.
Prepared a literature review of the toxicity of lead and arsenic to horses.

OTHER APPOINTMENTS

4/98-6/03 Editorial Board, TOMES (Toxicology, Occupational Medicine, and Environmental Series) Information System, Micromedex, Inc., Englewood, CO.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Developed and taught the following graduate-level course as Adjoint Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center:

TXCL 7655 Toxicokinetics and Pharmacokinetics (2 quarter hours).

This course provides an up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of the field of pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics. Emphasis in the course is placed on developing the practical problem-solving skills needed to: 1) develop pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic models, 2) design drug dosing regimens, and 3) critically interpret pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic data. Applications to human health risk assessment will also be discussed. The course includes training in the use of WinNonlinTM, a computer program used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry for pharmacokinetic analysis.

CONTINUING EDUCATION/SPECIAL TRAINING

Science and the Law 2006: A Day in the Life of Toxic Torts and Environmental Law. American Bar Association, Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee. Phoenix, Arizona. April 6-8, 2006.

Reproductive Toxicity Testing: Study Designs, Evaluation, Interpretation, and Risk Assessment. Society of Toxicology Continuing Education Course, Society of Toxicology 45th Annual Meeting San Diego, California. March 5, 2006.

Creating Vibrant Communities: Redeveloping California’s Brownfields. California Land Recycling Program. San Francisco, California. February 23, 2006.

Subsurface Vapor Intrusion to Indoor Air: An Update. Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. San Jose, California. May 25, 2005.

Creating Vibrant Communities: Redeveloping California’s Brownfields. California Land Recycling Program. Sacramento, California. April 28, 2005

Investigation and Remediation of Dry Cleaner Release Sites. Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. Newport Beach, California. November 10, 2004.

Investigation and Remediation of Dry Cleaner Release Sites. Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. Sacramento, California. April 7, 2004.

33rd Annual Conference on Environmental Law. American Bar Association. Keystone, Colorado. March 11-14, 2004.

1,4-Dioxane & Other Solvent Stabilizer Compounds in the Environment. Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. San Jose, California. December 10, 2003.

Emergent Chemicals: Who, What, When, Where and How to Clean Up. Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. Irvine, California. October 9, 2003.

Subsurface Vapor Intrusion to Indoor Air: When is Soil and Groundwater Contamination an Indoor Air Issue? Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. San Jose, California. September 30, 2003.

Environmental Risk Insurance. Pacific Business and Industrial Association. Palo Alto, California. September 18, 2003.

Perchlorate in Groundwater: Occurrence, Analysis and Treatment. Groundwater Resources Association of California Symposium. Sacramento, California. July 31, 2003.

Fundamentals of Risk Assessment and Applications of Recent Methodologies to Difficult Problems. Society of Toxicology Continuing Education Course, Society of Toxicology 42nd Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 9, 2003.

Risk Assessment for Metals. Society of Toxicology Continuing Education Course, Society of Toxicology 40th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, March 25, 2001.

RESRAD Training Workshop. Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, January 29-30, 2001.

Practical Issues in the Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment and Its Application to Hazardous Waste Sites. Superfund Basic Research Program and the University of Florida, Sarasota, Florida, March 29-31, 1998.

Effective Risk Communication: Avoiding the Pitfalls. Society of Toxicology Continuing Education Course, Society of Toxicology 37th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, March 1, 1998.

Bioavailability: Quantifying the Real Toxicity of Common Soil Contaminants. International Business Communications, Scottsdale, Arizona, December 11-12, 1997.

Quantitative Uncertainty Analysis in Risk Assessment: Monte Carlo Techniques. Society of Toxicology Continuing Education Course, Society of Toxicology 35th Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, March 10, 1996.

International Workshop on Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Risk Assessment. Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado, August 3-21, 1992.

PUBLICATIONS

Damian, P., and Pontius, F. From Rockets to Remediation: The Problem of Perchlorate in Drinking Water. Environmental Protection June 1999.

Damian, P., Craigmill, A., and Riviere, J. 1997. Farad Digest: Breaking new ground. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 210(5).

Craigmill A.L., Rangel-Lugo M., Damian P., and Riviere J. E. 1997. Extralabel use of tranquilizers and general anesthetics. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 211:302-304.

Damian P., Craigmill A.L., and Riviere J.E. 1997. Extralabel use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 211:860-861.

Damian, P., and Raabe, O.G. 1996. Toxicokinetic modeling of dose-dependent formate elimination in the rat: in vivo-in vitro correlations using the perfused rat liver. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 139:22-32.

PRESENTATIONS

“Using Risk Assessment to Streamline Contaminated Site Closure,” Presented at the February 13, 2001, Meeting of the Colorado Hazardous Waste Management Society, Denver, Colorado.

“Using Risk Assessment to Facilitate Contaminated Site Closure,” Presented at the January 13, 2000, Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Association of Environmental Professionals, Denver, Colorado.

“Using Risk Assessment to Facilitate Contaminated Site Closure,” Presented at the March 16, 2000, Meeting of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Denver, Colorado.