Modelling and Risk Assessment
Simulation models are a very useful tool for assessing and estimating the environmental, ecotoxicological and human health risks of agrochemicals and biorationals, chemicals, biocides and medical devices.
Environmental Exposure and Ecotoxicological Risk Assessments
Environmental Exposure Assessments
While performing environmental exposure assessments, we use various models to characterise substance properties relevant to their environmental fate and estimate the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) in soil, groundwater, surface water and air. We apply the calculated PEC values to perform ecotoxicological risk assessments based on characterisation of exposure and effects. Among models we apply, there are those recognised by the FOCUS group (Forum for the coordination of pesticide fate models and their use) as well as the current models at national level.
The PEC calculations are conducted using a powerful server-based simulation environment together with efficient data extraction software, enabling us to investigate a huge number of combinations of substance properties, application timings, uses and scenarios.
Ecotoxicological Risk Assessments
We perform ecotoxicological risk assessments in line with current regulations and available guidance documents, while taking into consideration recent developments in the EU and global regulatory framework.
Based on the results of higher tier studies on community level or under complex exposure conditions, we develop strategies for environmental risk assessments which constitute part of our teams approach concerning environmental fate and ecotoxicological aspects.
Human Health Assessments
We have broad experience in the performance of human health exposure and risk assessments. For this purpose, we use all current exposure models for the prediction of acute and chronic consumer exposure (e.g. EFSA model, WHO models, TNsG (2007), BEAT, ConsExpo and various national models) as well as occupational assessments for operators, workers, bystanders and residents.
We examine available background or supporting data on a case-by-case basis to refine the risk assessment, including probabilistic approaches. We are well-versed in adapting standard models to non-standard uses.
The performance of human health exposure and risk assessments is usually part of dossier preparation. However, it can also be done as a stand-alone task.
Our Services:
- Environmental and human health exposure and risk assessments for all types of substances and products
- PBT assessment (persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity)
- Tailored exposure and risk assessments for substances with non-standard applications, including endocrine active substances
- Study planning and monitoring of all kind of toxicological studies required in the context of environmental and human health exposure and risk assessments
- Derivation of the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) and the German water hazard classes (Wassergefährdungsklassen, WGK)
- Weight of evidence (WoE) assessments: in vitro, in vivo and in silico data
- Predictive in silico toxicology assessments toxicology assessments
- Mode of action (MoA) analysis: adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept.
