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This article introduces ‘Tox-Box’, a joint research project designed to develop a holistic approach towards a harmonized testing strategy for exposure- and hazard-based risk management of anthropogenic trace substances in drinking water to secure a long-term drinking water supply. The main task of the Tox-Box consortium is to enhance the existing health-related indicator value concept (German: GOW-Konzept - Gesundheitlicher Orientierungswert) through development and prioritization of additional end point-related testing strategies for genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, germ cell damage, and endocrine effects. In this context, substance-specific modes of action will be identified and characterized. Toxicological data collected by the 12 Tox-Box subprojects will be evaluated and weighted to structure a hierarchical testing strategy for an improved risk assessment. A technical guidance document for exposure and hazard-based risk management of anthropogenic trace substances in drinking water will eventually be prepared.Dieser Artikel stellt das Verbundprojekt “Tox-Box” vor, das einen ganzheitlichen Ansatz für eine harmonisierte Teststrategie eines Expositions-bezogenen und Gefahren-basierten Risikomanagements von anthropogenen Spurenstoffen in Trinkwasser entwickeln und somit einen Beitrag zur langfristigen Sicherung der Trinkwasserversorgung leisten soll. Die Hauptaufgabe des Tox-Box-Konsortiums ist die Weiterentwicklung des bestehenden GOW-Konzeptes (Gesundheitlicher Orientierungswert) durch Erforschung und Priorisierung zusätzlicher Endpunkt-bezogener Teststrategien für Gentoxizität, Neurotoxizität, Keimzellschädigung und endokrine Effekte. In diesem Kontext werden zudem Substanz-spezifische Wirkmechanismen identifiziert und charakterisiert. Im Anschluss werden die toxikologischen Daten aus den 12 Teilprojekten evaluiert und gewichtet um eine hierarchische Teststrategie für eine verbesserte Risikobewertung zu erstellen. Zum Abschluss des Projektes wird eine technische Rich

Exactly 130 years passed between the discovery by Isaac Newton that white light was composed of colors [1] and the discovery of ultraviolet radiation by Johann Wilhelm Ritter, a German electro chemist, in 1801. We now understand that ultraviolet radiation, although representing <2% of the total number of photons that reach the surface of present-day Earth, has had an important role in the evolution of life on Earth. This is because it has a high energy, energy being proportional to the frequency of the radiation. UV radiation is damaging to a number of key macromolecules, particularly DNA. On early Earth, the lack of an ozone column probably resulted in higher biologically weighted irradiance than the surface of present-day Earth as there were no other UV absorbers in the atmosphere. This is also the case for present-day Mars and probably was for Mars in its early history.

Exactly 130 years passed between the discovery by Isaac Newton that white light was composed of colors [1] and the discovery of ultraviolet radiation by Johann Wilhelm Ritter, a German electro chemist, in 1801. We now understand that ultraviolet radiation, although representing <2% of the total number of photons that reach the surface of present-day Earth, has had an important role in the evolution of life on Earth. This is because it has a high energy, energy being proportional to the frequency of the radiation. UV radiation is damaging to a number of key macromolecules, particularly DNA. On early Earth, the lack of an ozone column probably resulted in higher biologically weighted irradiance than the surface of present-day Earth as there were no other UV absorbers in the atmosphere. This is also the case for present-day Mars and probably was for Mars in its early history.