Process-oriented descriptions of toxic effects

Kooijman, S. A. L. M. 1997. Process-oriented descriptions of toxic effects. In: Schü}ürmann, G. and Markert, B. Ecotoxicology Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, 483 - 519.

Abstract

This chapter starts with a discussion of the scienti c problems that are inherent to the stan- dard NOEC/EC50-analysis of toxicity data. It then shows that a move from purely descriptive statistics to a mechanistic analysis of toxic e ects on physiological processes can remove these problems in a way that is still practical. The Dynamic Energy Budget theory provides an excel- lent framework to quantify the e ects of compounds with di erent modes of action. The resulting toxicity measures have very simple relationships with physical chemical properties, such as the octanol-water partition coe cient and the pH, which can be derived from rst principles. These toxicity measures do not depend on the length of the exposure time to the toxicant.

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