Building a European exposure science strategy.

Exposure information is a critical element in various regulatory and non-regulatory frameworks in Europe and elsewhere. Exposure science supports to ensure safe environments, reduce human health risks, and foster a sustainable future. However, increasing diversity in regulations and the lack of a professional identity as exposure scientists currently hamper developing the field and uptake into European policy.

Framework for the quantitative weight-of-evidence analysis of 'omics data for regulatory purposes.

A framework for the quantitative weight-of-evidence (QWoE) analysis of 'omics data for regulatory purposes is presented. The QWoE framework encompasses seven steps to evaluate 'omics data (also together with non-'omics data): (1) Hypothesis formulation, identification and weighting of lines of evidence (LoEs). LoEs conjoin different (types of) studies that are used to critically test the hypothesis.

Quantitative weight-of-evidence analysis of the persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity, and potential for long-range transport of the cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes.

Cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (cVMSs) are highly volatile and have an unusual combination of physicochemical properties, which are unlike those of halocarbon-based chemicals used to establish criteria for identification of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that undergo long-range transport (LRT). A transparent quantitative weight of evidence (QWoE) evaluation was conducted to characterize their properties. Measurements of concentrations of cVMSs in the environment are challenging, but currently, concentrations measured in robust studies are all less than thresholds of toxicity.

REACH epilogue.

REACH provides the opportunity to advance public health and environmental protection and to boost public confidence in the use of chemicals.Not surprisingly at this stage there are many uncertainties on the details of its implementation. From a risk assessor's viewpoint relevant issues are: The criteria to be used to identify priority substances, The suitability of the available methodology for hazard and exposure characterisation, The independence, transparency and of expertise specified, The compatibility of the procedures with those used for other substances and products, The nature of the database; its accessibility and utility, Availability of experts in risk and benefit assessment.

Human health and environmental risk assessment: the need for a more harmonised and integrated approach.

Historically the procedures for human risk assessment and for risk assessment have developed separately with different terminologies and separate data bases. The identification that there are many common features and that sharing of certain types of data for risk assessment purposes would be beneficial is a driver towards a better integration of their procedures. Risk assessors are facing increasing challenges from governments, stimulated by public pressure for (i) human and environmental risk assessments of an ever growing number of products and processes, (ii) further restrictions of the use of animal tests and human studies on ethical grounds, (iii) the requirement to demonstrate that the assessments are independent, transparent and of high quality, (iv) reducing resources in particular a diminishing number of individuals with the scientific depth, breadth and independence act as risk assessors, (v) the need to incorporate new sciences continually and new discoveries into the risk assessment process.