Application of QSAR estimates in hazard evaluation and risk assessment

Environmental risk assessments for the preliminary priority setting and the identification of testing needs are one practical field for the application of QSARs. Based on the integration of compound-specific data, hazard assessments are concerned with the quantification of adverse effects, and risk assessments try to evaluate the probability of hazards occurring (e.g. Bamthouse and Suter, 1986 Nendza, Volmer and Klein, 1990 Cowan et a/., 1995 Feijtel et a/., 1995 Leeuwen and Hermens, 1995 Logan and Wilson, 1995). 

Risk may arise from any chemicals released into the environment, intentionally or by accident, during manufacture, use or dissipation of the products. The expected concentration time profile for chemicals at specific locations in the various environmental media - water, air, soil and biota - may result in hazards to humans and the environment. Hence, ecological risk assessment must evaluate the probability whether the exposure level of potential contaminants may exceed effective (i.e. toxic) concentrations in the environmental compartment of concern. The basic principle is the comparison of the environmental and the toxic concentrations of the contaminants  

From a log-logistic distribution function of a battery of toxicity data (e.g. LC50 values obtained with different species), the effects concentrations can 

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Application of QSAR estimates in hazard evaluation and risk assessments... 

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