Computational Exposure Science: An Emerging Discipline to Support 21st-Century Risk Assessment.

Background: Computational exposure science represents a frontier of environmental science that is emerging and quickly evolving.

Objectives: In this commentary, we define this burgeoning discipline, describe a framework for implementation, and review some key ongoing research elements that are advancing the science with respect to exposure to chemicals in consumer products.

Discussion: The fundamental elements of computational exposure science include the development of reliable, computationally efficient predictive exposure models; the identification, acquisition, and application of data to support and evaluate these models; and generation of improved methods for extrapolating across chemicals. We describe our efforts in each of these areas and provide examples that demonstrate both progress and potential.

Conclusions: Computational exposure science, linked with comparable efforts in toxicology, is ushering in a new era of risk assessment that greatly expands our ability to evaluate chemical safety and sustainability and to protect public health.

Citation: Egeghy PP, Sheldon LS, Isaacs KK, Özkaynak H, Goldsmith M-R, Wambaugh JF, Judson RS, Buckley TJ. 2016. Computational exposure science: an emerging discipline to support 21st-century risk assessment. Environ Health Perspect 124:697-702; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509748.