CRA

Overview of Exposure Assessment Tools for Chemical Risk Assessment

Little Pro on 2016-11-08

Exposure assessment is a key part of chemical risk assessment. Quite often measured exposure data is not available, in which case we need to reply on exposure assessment tools to estimate exposure levels. In this article, we intend to summarize major exposure assessment tools that have been widely accepted for chemical exposure assessment.

Occupational/Worker Exposure Assessment Tools

Tools Description
ECETOC TRA (tutorial) (link) Tier 1 tool to predict both inhalation and dermal exposures.
MEASE (link) Tier 1 tool to estimate both inhalation and dermal exposures for metals and inorganic substances.
EMKG-Exp o-Tool (link) Tier 1 tool used to derive inhalation exposure value for the workplace only
Stoffenmanager (link) Tier 2 tool used to estimate inhalation exposure to vapours, aerosols of low volatility liquids and inhalable dusts
RISKOFDERM (link) Tier 2 tool used to estimate potential dermal exposure.
Advanced REACH Tool (ART) (link) Tier 2 tool used to the whole distribution of inhalation exposure variability and uncertainty.

Please note that each tool or model has its own applicability and limitations (See the picture below from ECHA guidance on CSA part 14). Use of process category PROC as inputs can greatly simplify input parameters. If you do not know what PROC is, please click here for more information about REACH use descriptors. 

Worker Exposure Assessment Tools

Consumer Exposure Assessment Tools

Tools Description
ECETOC TRA (link) Tier 1 tool to predict both inhalationdermal and oral exposures.
ConsExpo (link) Tier 2 tool for expert consumer exposure assessment. All the equations used are published in the ConsExpo manual.
REACT (link) Tier 1  quantitative estimation of exposure to substances that are present in products (washing and cleaning - PC 35, air freshener – PC3 and polishes and wax – PC31) used by consumers. Developed by AISE.
US EPA E-FAST Tool (link) Tier 1 consumer exposure assessment tool under TSCA. Can also be used to assess general population exposure and aquatic environmental exposure and risk resulting from industrial releases.

Please note that different tools have their own applicability and limitations. For more info about the input and output data of above tools, please refer to ECHA guidance on CSR part 15.

Environmental Exposure Assessment Tools

Tools Description
EUSES (tutorial) Tier 1 tool to predict environmental exposure levels (water, marine water, soil, sediment, STP, etc.)
ECETOC TRA (link) Tier 1 tool to predict environmental exposure levels
Focus (pesticides) (link)
  •  Soil and ground water exposure estimation: MACRO,, PEARL, PELMO, PRZM_GW
  •  Surface water exposure estimation: STEPS1-2, soil drainage (MACRO), run off (PRZM) and surface water (incl. sediment) fate (TOXSWA) models.

More info: ECHA guidance on CSR part 16 environmental exposure estimation.

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