The overall aim of this project is to evaluate the generic first tier exposure tools that are currently widely used for chemical safety assessments under REACH in order to determine/confirm the applicability domains of the models and to achieve more confidence about the accuracy and reliability of model predictions. Furthermore, the project will review the user-friendliness of the tools to assess their practical usage.
The models to be evaluated are:
The results of this project will assist both industry and registrants to choose the most appropriate model for a given exposure situation. In addition, its results will assist authorities to assess whether or not an exposure scenario presented by a registrant is safe and to estimate how conservative the exposure estimates are.
The eteam project has the following specific objectives:
- to collate background information on the tools and carry out an evaluation of the models’ underlying conceptual bases
- to evaluate potential sources of exposure data to allow external validation of model predictions
- to develop a protocol for gathering and reporting exposure data for use in the validation process
- to collate exposure data and develop an exposure database
- to compare model estimates with workplace exposure measurements
- to carry out an operational analysis of the tools to determine their usability and between and within user reliability
- to review and describe any major uncertainties in the models
- to compare the models applicability and suitability across a range of domains
- to disseminate the results to relevant scientific, industry and regulatory stakeholders