ETAPOS A spreadsheet model for screening assessment of overall persistence, long-range transport and bioaccumulation potential

According to the European Union chemicals regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) chemicals have to be evaluated on their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity potential (PBT assessment). Long-range transport potential (LRTP) is included in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) as an additional criterion and is considered to be of equivalent concern to classify a chemical as PBT compound.

We developed the model ETAPOS (Environmental Transport and Accumulation of Persistent Organic Substances) to evaluate organic chemicals simultaneously according to their persistence, long-range transport potential and bioaccumulation potential. ETAPOS combines a level III multimedia model with a dynamic bioaccumulation model that considers accumulation along the aquatic as well as the terrestrial food chain leading to man. The multimedia part of ETAPOS is based on ELPOS (Environmental Long-Range Transport Potential of Organic Substances). To account for bioaccumulation the intake fraction (IF) has been implemented as screening indicator. Further screening criteria are the overall persistence (Pov) and the characteristic travel distance (CTD) for LRTP. ETAPOS calculates all indicators within the same generic multimedia environment.

The model ETAPOS enables a multi-criteria evaluation of organic chemicals with respect to their POP and PBT properties.

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