Question

Acrylamide is a chemical that is sometimes found in cooked starchy foods and which is thought to increase the risk of certain kinds of cancer. The paper "A Statistical Regression Model for the Estimation of Acrylamide Concentrations in French Fries for Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk Assessment"† describes a study to investigate the effect of frying time (in seconds) and acrylamide concentration (in micrograms per kilogram) in french fries. The data in the accompanying table are approximate values read from a graph that appeared in the paper. Frying Acrylamide concentration 150 160 240 120 240 195 270 180 300 145 300 165 A.) Find the equation of the least squares regression line for predicting acrylamide concentration using frying time. (Round your answers to four decimal places.) ŷ = ____+(____)x\

Answer 1

To predict acrylamide concentration based on frying time, a least squares regression analysis is employed, but without complete data, the equation can't be computed here. Regarding substance handling, precautions should be taken with acrylamide due to its toxicity. In an accident scenario, the chemical with the shortest residence time initially poses the greatest risk, but as time progresses, chemicals with longer residence times may become more of a concern.

Step-by-step explanation:

Frying time and acrylamide concentration have a connection, as seen in the study described. To predict acrylamide concentration using frying time, a statistical tool called least squares regression is used. This method finds the line that minimizes the sum of the squares of the vertical distances of the points from the line. However, without the complete dataset or the summarized statistics (such as the mean and standard deviations of the frying times and acrylamide concentrations, or the sum of the products of deviations), it is not possible to calculate the exact least squares regression equation.

Precautions when handling acrylamide should include avoiding inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact due to its toxic nature. Wearing proper protective gear such as gloves, lab coats, and goggles is essential. The risk when exposed to acrylamide increases due to its potential carcinogenic properties.

Concerning the industrial accident with three carcinogens, the substance with the shortest residence time will pose the least long-term risk. Since Chemical Z has the shortest residence time of 17.2 hours, it would pose the greatest risk of exposure over the course of the first day or two, after which its concentration would diminish more quickly than Chemical X and Y. However, as a week passes, Chemicals X and Y with longer residence times of 2.8 days and 3.5 days respectively may pose a greater risk if they maintain higher concentrations for a longer period.