22 results on '"Wassenaar PNH"'
Search Results
2. Persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity-assessment of petroleum UVCBs: A case study on alkylated three-ring PAHs
- Author
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Wassenaar, PNH and Verbruggen, EMJ
- Published
- 2021
3. Water quality standards for PFOA : A proposal in accordance with the methodology of the Water Framework Directive
- Author
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Verbruggen EMJ, Wassenaar PNH, Smit CE, MSP, and M&V
- Subjects
perfluorverbindingen ,RIVM rapport 2017-0044 ,water quality standards ,PFOA ,perfluoro compounds ,waterkwaliteitsnormen - Abstract
RIVM proposes water quality standards for PFOA. This perfluoro compound has been used for the production of teflon and is found in many surface waters around the world. The quality standard for chronic exposure accounts for the accumulation of PFOA in fish. Using this information, RIVM calculated a safe concentration in water of 48 nanograms per liter, which is protective for lifetime consumption of fish by humans and wildlife. For this research an extensive overview was made of the scientific data on effects of PFOA on aquatic organisms and the accumulation in biota. Based on the oral risk limit for humans as derived recently by RIVM, a maximum allowable concentration in fish was calculated assuming a lifetime daily consumption. This biota standard is converted to an equivalent safe concentration in water using information on the uptake of PFOA from water by fish. Data on bioaccumulation are needed because the water quality standard for ecological effects on aquatic organisms is not sufficiently protective for food chain effects. PFOA has a relatively low toxicity for water organisms, but may pose a problem when entering the food chain via fish. The use of PFOA is restricted by European law, but it can still reach the environment from PFOA-containing products that were produced in the past. Because of its high persistence, emissions will lead to long term presence in the environment. An initial comparison with monitoring data indicates that the safe concentration derived in this research is not exceeded in Dutch surface waters.
- Published
- 2020
4. Risicogrenzen PFOA voor grond en grondwater : Uitwerking ten behoeve van generiek en gebiedsspecifiek beleid
- Author
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Lijzen JPA, Wassenaar PNH, Smit CE, Posthuma CJAM, Brand E, Swartjes FA, Verbruggen EMJ, Versteegh JFM, DDB, and M&V
- Subjects
ad hoc intervention ,gebiedsgerichte aanpak ,generieke methodiek ,PFOA ,grondwater ,risk limits ,groundwater ,values ,risicogrenzen ,grond ,soil - Abstract
The municipality of Dordrecht commissioned the RIVM to derive risk limits for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in soil and groundwater. The local government can determine if the quality of the soil and groundwater can cause risks to humans and the environment, and if measures are needed. The contamination with PFOA is probably caused in the end of the last Century. PFOA was used by Dupont/Chemours in Dordrecht up to 2012 for the production of polymers. This report derives generic risk limits for soil and groundwater according the method for deriving Intervention Values. This approach takes into account exposure of men and the environment from contamination in soil and groundwater. Additionally site-specific (or soil use specific risk limits have been derived for soil and groundwater for different types of land use. It is focusing on residential and industrial areas, taking into account the relevant exposure routes. The municipality can use the derived risk limits to develop a policy depending on the land use and for the reuse of soil in the municipality.
- Published
- 2020
5. Substances of very high concern and the transition to a circular economy : An initial inventory
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH, Janssen N, de Poorter LRM, Bodar CWM, VSP, and MSP
- Subjects
afval ,circular economy ,circulaire economie ,waste ,zeer zorgwekkende stoffen ,RIVM rapport 2017-0071 ,risk management ,risicomanagement ,ZZS ,Substances of very high concern - Abstract
Reuse and recycling of products are key elements in a circular economy. This exploratory RIVM study shows that a great number of waste streams may contain various substances of very high concern (ZZS), which may hamper safe recycling options in the Netherlands. RIVM recommends an adequate risk management of ZZS in a circular economy. The Dutch government takes priority action on ZZS substances as they are hazardous to people and the environment. Examples include substances that are carcinogenic, impede reproduction, or bioaccumulate in food chains. ZZS may be present in waste streams as they are intentionally used in the original processes or products, or they can be contaminants. The Dutch governmental program 'The Netherlands circular in 2050' appoints five priority chains and sectors in the transition towards a circular economy: biomass and food, plastics, production/manufacturing, construction, and consumer products. RIVM investigated to what extent dominant waste streams in these chains and sectors contain ZZS. It is difficult to get a complete overview of ZZS in waste streams, because information is often lacking on the actual ZZS concentrations in waste. This exploratory study, however, clearly demonstrates that various ZZS can be present in each of the investigated waste streams. Examples are flame-retardants in plastics, dyestuffs and pigments in textile, and heavy metals in agricultural waste streams. RIVM makes recommendations with respect to prioritization of ZZS and waste streams. In addition, it is advised to develop a decision scheme to select the most appropriate waste treatment options. The results of this study are useful for the implementation of the National Waste Management Plan (LAP) that is focusing on risk control. At medium and long term the drive should be to develop safer alternatives for ZZS resulting in safe loops, irrespective of the types of end-use.
- Published
- 2020
6. Ecotoxicologische risicogrenzen voor PFOS in bodem en grondwater
- Author
-
Verbruggen, EMJ, Marinkovic, M, Wassenaar, PNH, Verbruggen, EMJ, Marinkovic, M, and Wassenaar, PNH
- Abstract
RIVM rapport:Het RIVM heeft risicogrenzen bepaald voor PFOS in bodem en grondwater. De risicogrenzen houden rekening met twee routes: directe effecten van PFOS op planten en dieren in de bodem, en effecten op vogels en zoogdieren die PFOS via hun voedsel binnenkrijgen. Het bevoegd gezag gebruikt de risicogrenzen om te beslissen of hergebruik van grond veilig is voor het milieu. PFOS en andere poly- en perfluoralkylstoffen (PFAS) zijn door de mens gemaakte stoffen die heel langzaam afbreken, ophopen in het lichaam en giftig zijn. Het gebruik van PFOS is wereldwijd zeer sterk aan banden gelegd. Maar doordat de stof bijna niet afbreekt, zitten er nog steeds resten in het milieu. PFOS hoopt zich op in planten en dieren. Daarom is het relevant om te kijken naar de risico's voor vogels en zoogdieren die PFOS binnenkrijgen via het eten van bodemdieren, zoals regenwormen. Dit heet doorvergiftiging. Per route zijn twee risiconiveaus bepaald: het Ernstig Risiconiveau (ER) en het Maximaal Toelaatbaar Risiconiveau (MTR). Het MTR is de concentratie waarbij geen nadelige effecten zijn te verwachten. Het MTR voor doorvergiftiging is 3 microgram per kilogram droge grond. Het ER (106 microgram per kilogram) is de concentratie waarbij PFOS ernstige effecten kan hebben op vogels en zoogdieren. Het RIVM heeft in 2011 ook ecotoxicologische risicogrenzen afgeleid voor PFOS in bodem en grondwater, toen op basis van beperkt beschikbare informatie. De risicogrenzen zijn nu beter onderbouwd. Het nieuwe MTR voor doorvergiftiging is hetzelfde als in 2011, het ER voor doorvergiftiging is nu voor het eerst bepaald. Dit onderzoek is onderdeel van een serie rapportages over risicogrenzen van PFAS. Hiermee draagt het RIVM bij aan een landelijk kader waarmee bevoegde gezagen kunnen bepalen hoe zij omgaan met PFAS-houdende grond en baggerspecie. Dit onderzoek is uitgevoerd in opdracht van het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat (IenW)., RIVM determined risk limits for PFOS in soil and groundwater. The risk limits take account of two routes: direct effects of PFOS on plants and animals in soil and effects on birds and mammals that are exposed to PFOS via food. Competent authorities use risk limits to decide whether re-use of soil is environmentally safe. PFOS and other poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manmade chemicals that degrade very slowly, accumulate in the body and are toxic. Stringent restrictions on PFOS use have been implemented worldwide. However, because the compound hardly degrades, residues remain present in the environment. PFOS accumulates in plants and animals. It is therefore relevant to consider the risks for birds and mammals due to PFOS intake via ingestion of soil organisms, such as earthworms. This is called secondary poisoning. Two risk levels were determined for each route: the Serious Risk Concentration (SRC) and the Maximum Permissible Concentration (MPC). The MPC is the concentration at which no adverse effects are to be expected. The MPC for secondary poisoning is 3 micrograms per kilogram dry soil. The SRC (106 micrograms per kg) is the concentration at which PFOS may seriously affect birds and mammals. Back in 2011, RIVM also determined ecotoxicological risk limits for PFOS in soil and groundwater, at that time on the basis of scarce available information. The current risk limits are better underpinned. The new MPC for secondary poisoning is similar to the 2011 value. The SRC was determined for the first time. This research is part of a series of reports on risk limits for PFAS. Via these reports, RIVM contributes to a national framework used by competent authorities to decide on how to deal with PFAS-contaminated soil and dredged material. This research was commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water management (I&W).
- Published
- 2021
7. Ecotoxicologische risicogrenzen voor PFOS in bodem en grondwater
- Author
-
Verbruggen, EMJ, Marinkovic, M, and Wassenaar, PNH
- Subjects
RIVM rapport 2020-0085 - Abstract
Het RIVM heeft risicogrenzen bepaald voor PFOS in bodem en grondwater. De risicogrenzen houden rekening met twee routes: directe effecten van PFOS op planten en dieren in de bodem, en effecten op vogels en zoogdieren die PFOS via hun voedsel binnenkrijgen. Het bevoegd gezag gebruikt de risicogrenzen om te beslissen of hergebruik van grond veilig is voor het milieu. PFOS en andere poly- en perfluoralkylstoffen (PFAS) zijn door de mens gemaakte stoffen die heel langzaam afbreken, ophopen in het lichaam en giftig zijn. Het gebruik van PFOS is wereldwijd zeer sterk aan banden gelegd. Maar doordat de stof bijna niet afbreekt, zitten er nog steeds resten in het milieu. PFOS hoopt zich op in planten en dieren. Daarom is het relevant om te kijken naar de risico's voor vogels en zoogdieren die PFOS binnenkrijgen via het eten van bodemdieren, zoals regenwormen. Dit heet doorvergiftiging. Per route zijn twee risiconiveaus bepaald: het Ernstig Risiconiveau (ER) en het Maximaal Toelaatbaar Risiconiveau (MTR). Het MTR is de concentratie waarbij geen nadelige effecten zijn te verwachten. Het MTR voor doorvergiftiging is 3 microgram per kilogram droge grond. Het ER (106 microgram per kilogram) is de concentratie waarbij PFOS ernstige effecten kan hebben op vogels en zoogdieren. Het RIVM heeft in 2011 ook ecotoxicologische risicogrenzen afgeleid voor PFOS in bodem en grondwater, toen op basis van beperkt beschikbare informatie. De risicogrenzen zijn nu beter onderbouwd. Het nieuwe MTR voor doorvergiftiging is hetzelfde als in 2011, het ER voor doorvergiftiging is nu voor het eerst bepaald. Dit onderzoek is onderdeel van een serie rapportages over risicogrenzen van PFAS. Hiermee draagt het RIVM bij aan een landelijk kader waarmee bevoegde gezagen kunnen bepalen hoe zij omgaan met PFAS-houdende grond en baggerspecie. Dit onderzoek is uitgevoerd in opdracht van het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat (IenW).
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Chemical similarity to identify potential substances of very high concern - an effective screening method
- Author
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Wassenaar, PNH, Rorije, E, Janssen, NMH, Peijnenburg, WJGM, and Vijver, MG
- Published
- 2019
9. Advies voor een handreiking met afwegingskader risicoanalyse ZZS in afval
- Author
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Zweers PGPC, Verhoeven JK, Wassenaar PNH, Spijker J, Luit RJ, Ganzevles JH, Janssen MPM, ICH, and VSP
- Subjects
risk inventory ,RIVM rapport 2017-0168 ,risicoanalyse ,concentration limit value ,afval ,substances of very high concern ,waste ,recycling ,concentratiegrenswaarde ,ZZS - Abstract
Veel initiatieven zijn gaande, zowel in beleid als in de praktijk, om afval te hergebruiken (op weg naar een meer circulaire economie). Afval kan schadelijke stoffen bevatten die niet in het milieu mogen komen. Om te voorkomen dat dat gebeurt, gelden voorschriften. Voor afval dat zeer zorgwekkende stoffen (ZZS) bevat gelden extra regels op basis waarvan wordt afgewogen of het afval kan worden hergebruikt of moet worden vernietigd. Deze voorschriften maken deel uit van een nieuwe versie van het landelijke afvalbeheerplan (LAP3), dat eind 2017 is verschenen. Een onderdeel van het afvalbeheerplan is een risicoanalyse van de ZZS in afval, als de stoffen niet van het afval kunnen worden gescheiden. Het RIVM geeft in een handreiking en afwegingskader adviezen hoe de risicoanalyse van de ZZS in afval uit te voeren. De handreiking bestaat uit een stappenschema op basis waarvan een vergunninghouder kan afwegen of het afval veilig te recyclen is. Daarvoor moet de vergunninghouder eerst nagaan of de ZZS afgescheiden kunnen worden van de afvalstroom. Dit heeft de voorkeur. Als dat niet kan, is een risicoanalyse nodig van het ZZS-houdende afval voor de beoogde toepassing. De uitkomst daarvan geeft uitsluitsel of de risico's van de aanwezige ZZS aanvaardbaar zijn of niet. Uitgangspunt voor de risicoanalyse zijn de aspecten die volgens LAP3 dienen te worden meegewogen. Een voorbeeld is de mate waarin de ZZS uit het beoogde product vrijkomt. Als de risico's nog onvoldoende helder zijn, biedt het stappenplan een mogelijkheid om ze nader te bepalen. Als de risico's dan nog onaanvaardbaar blijken, kan geen vergunning worden afgegeven voor de toepassing. Er zal dan naar een minder risicovolle toepassing van het ZZS-houdende afval gezocht moeten worden, waarbij de risico's wel aanvaardbaar blijken. Het afwegingskader geeft wat meer achtergrondinformatie over enkele aspecten uit LAP3. Daarnaast biedt het overwegingen en aanbevelingen om de risicoanalyse verder te ontwikkelen.
- Published
- 2018
10. Advies voor een handreiking met afwegingskader risicoanalyse ZZS in afval
- Author
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ICH, VSP, Zweers PGPC, Verhoeven JK, Wassenaar PNH, Spijker J, Luit RJ, Ganzevles JH, Janssen MPM, ICH, VSP, Zweers PGPC, Verhoeven JK, Wassenaar PNH, Spijker J, Luit RJ, Ganzevles JH, and Janssen MPM
- Abstract
RIVM rapport:Veel initiatieven zijn gaande, zowel in beleid als in de praktijk, om afval te hergebruiken (op weg naar een meer circulaire economie). Afval kan schadelijke stoffen bevatten die niet in het milieu mogen komen. Om te voorkomen dat dat gebeurt, gelden voorschriften. Voor afval dat zeer zorgwekkende stoffen (ZZS) bevat gelden extra regels op basis waarvan wordt afgewogen of het afval kan worden hergebruikt of moet worden vernietigd. Deze voorschriften maken deel uit van een nieuwe versie van het landelijke afvalbeheerplan (LAP3), dat eind 2017 is verschenen. Een onderdeel van het afvalbeheerplan is een risicoanalyse van de ZZS in afval, als de stoffen niet van het afval kunnen worden gescheiden. Het RIVM geeft in een handreiking en afwegingskader adviezen hoe de risicoanalyse van de ZZS in afval uit te voeren. De handreiking bestaat uit een stappenschema op basis waarvan een vergunninghouder kan afwegen of het afval veilig te recyclen is. Daarvoor moet de vergunninghouder eerst nagaan of de ZZS afgescheiden kunnen worden van de afvalstroom. Dit heeft de voorkeur. Als dat niet kan, is een risicoanalyse nodig van het ZZS-houdende afval voor de beoogde toepassing. De uitkomst daarvan geeft uitsluitsel of de risico's van de aanwezige ZZS aanvaardbaar zijn of niet. Uitgangspunt voor de risicoanalyse zijn de aspecten die volgens LAP3 dienen te worden meegewogen. Een voorbeeld is de mate waarin de ZZS uit het beoogde product vrijkomt. Als de risico's nog onvoldoende helder zijn, biedt het stappenplan een mogelijkheid om ze nader te bepalen. Als de risico's dan nog onaanvaardbaar blijken, kan geen vergunning worden afgegeven voor de toepassing. Er zal dan naar een minder risicovolle toepassing van het ZZS-houdende afval gezocht moeten worden, waarbij de risico's wel aanvaardbaar blijken. Het afwegingskader geeft wat meer achtergrondinformatie over enkele aspecten uit LAP3. Daarnaast biedt het overwegingen en aanbevelingen om de risicoanalyse verder te ontwikkelen., Currently there are all kinds of ongoing initiatives to recycle waste streams (circular economy). Waste can contain hazardous substances. Regulations exist to prevent hazardous substances from ending up in the environment. Waste which contains substances of very high concern are subject to specific rules which provide a basis for deciding whether they can be recycled or should be disposed of. These regulations are part of the national waste management plan (LAP3), which went into force end of 2017. Part of the national waste management plan is a risk inventory with respect to substances of very high concern, in case that these substances not can be separated from the waste. RIVM advices with this guidance and background document on how to perform a risk inventory. The guidance describes a decision scheme for authorisation holders to decide whether the waste stream can be safely recycled. At first hand the authorisation holder should consider if the substance of very high concern can be removed from the waste stream. If the substance of very high concern cannot be removed a risk inventory is needed for the applications of interest. The outcome of the risk inventory provides insight if the risk related to the presence of substance of very high concern is acceptable or not. The basis of the risk inventory is a set of aspects which have to be considered according to LAP3. An example of one of these aspects is to what extent a substance of very high concern can be released from the new product. When the outcome of the risk inventory is not decisive, the decision scheme provides a possibility to refine the risk inventory. If risks are determined to be not acceptable, no authorisation can be granted for the new application. An alternative application should than be selected for which risks are considered acceptable. The background document provides additional background information for some of the aspects in LAP3. In addition, it provides considerations and recommendations, Currently there are all kinds of ongoing initiatives to recycle waste streams (circular economy). Waste can contain hazardous substances. Regulations exist to prevent hazardous substances from ending up in the environment. Waste which contains substances of very high concern are subject to specific rules which provide a basis for deciding whether they can be recycled or should be disposed of. These regulations are part of the national waste management plan (LAP3), which went into force end of 2017. Part of the national waste management plan is a risk inventory with respect to substances of very high concern, in case that these substances not can be separated from the waste. RIVM advices with this guidance and background document on how to perform a risk inventory. The guidance describes a decision scheme for authorisation holders to decide whether the waste stream can be safely recycled. At first hand the authorisation holder should consider if the substance of very high concern can be removed from the waste stream. If the substance of very high concern cannot be removed a risk inventory is needed for the applications of interest. The outcome of the risk inventory provides insight if the risk related to the presence of substance of very high concern is acceptable or not. The basis of the risk inventory is a set of aspects which have to be considered according to LAP3. An example of one of these aspects is to what extent a substance of very high concern can be released from the new product. When the outcome of the risk inventory is not decisive, the decision scheme provides a possibility to refine the risk inventory. If risks are determined to be not acceptable, no authorisation can be granted for the new application. An alternative application should than be selected for which risks are considered acceptable. The background document provides additional background information for some of the aspects in LAP3. In addition, it provides considerations and recommendations
- Published
- 2018
11. Substances of very high concern and the transition to a circular economy : An initial inventory
- Author
-
VSP, MSP, Wassenaar PNH, Janssen N, de Poorter LRM, Bodar CWM, VSP, MSP, Wassenaar PNH, Janssen N, de Poorter LRM, and Bodar CWM
- Abstract
RIVM rapport:Reuse and recycling of products are key elements in a circular economy. This exploratory RIVM study shows that a great number of waste streams may contain various substances of very high concern (ZZS), which may hamper safe recycling options in the Netherlands. RIVM recommends an adequate risk management of ZZS in a circular economy. The Dutch government takes priority action on ZZS substances as they are hazardous to people and the environment. Examples include substances that are carcinogenic, impede reproduction, or bioaccumulate in food chains. ZZS may be present in waste streams as they are intentionally used in the original processes or products, or they can be contaminants. The Dutch governmental program 'The Netherlands circular in 2050' appoints five priority chains and sectors in the transition towards a circular economy: biomass and food, plastics, production/manufacturing, construction, and consumer products. RIVM investigated to what extent dominant waste streams in these chains and sectors contain ZZS. It is difficult to get a complete overview of ZZS in waste streams, because information is often lacking on the actual ZZS concentrations in waste. This exploratory study, however, clearly demonstrates that various ZZS can be present in each of the investigated waste streams. Examples are flame-retardants in plastics, dyestuffs and pigments in textile, and heavy metals in agricultural waste streams. RIVM makes recommendations with respect to prioritization of ZZS and waste streams. In addition, it is advised to develop a decision scheme to select the most appropriate waste treatment options. The results of this study are useful for the implementation of the National Waste Management Plan (LAP) that is focusing on risk control. At medium and long term the drive should be to develop safer alternatives for ZZS resulting in safe loops, irrespective of the types of end-use., Hergebruik en recycling van afvalstromen is een belangrijk onderdeel van de circulaire economie. Deze verkennende RIVM-studie laat zien dat in een breed spectrum van afvalstromen diverse zeer zorgwekkende stoffen (ZZS) kunnen voorkomen. Voorbeelden zijn vlamvertragers in plastics, kleurstoffen in textiel of zware metalen in reststromen van de landbouw. Dit kan de mogelijkheden om afval veilig te recyclen belemmeren in Nederland. Het RIVM doet aanbevelingen om de risico's van ZZS voor mens en milieu te beperken in de circulaire economie. ZZS worden door de Nederlandse overheid met voorrang aangepakt, omdat ze gevaarlijk zijn voor mens en milieu. Voorbeelden zijn stoffen die kankerverwekkend zijn, de voortplanting belemmeren of zich ophopen in voedselketens. ZZS kunnen in afvalstromen zitten omdat ze bewust aan het proces of product zijn toegevoegd, of verontreinigingen zijn. Het Rijksbrede beleidsprogramma 'Nederland circulair in 2050' benoemt vijf prioritaire ketens en sectoren voor de overgang naar een circulaire economie in Nederland: biomassa en voedsel, kunststoffen, de maakindustrie, de bouw en consumptiegoederen. Het RIVM onderzocht belangrijke afvalstromen in deze sectoren op de mate waarin ZZS voorkomen. Het is lastig om een compleet beeld te krijgen van ZZS in afvalstromen, omdat vaak informatie ontbreekt over de werkelijke concentraties ervan in het afval. Het RIVM doet aanbeveling om aan te geven welke ZZS en afvalstromen als eerste aandacht moeten krijgen (prioriteren). Tevens wordt het aangeraden om een afwegingskader te ontwikkelen om de meest geschikte afvalverwerkingsoptie te selecteren. De resultaten van deze studie zijn bruikbaar voor de uitvoering van het Landelijke Afvalstoffen Plan (LAP) dat gericht is op risicomanagement zo lang ZZS nog in gebruik of in omloop zijn. Het langere termijn streven moet zijn om veilige alternatieven voor ZZS te ontwikkelen, zodat ketens, ongeacht de latere toepassingen, op voorhand veilig zijn.
- Published
- 2017
12. Water quality standards for PFOA : A proposal in accordance with the methodology of the Water Framework Directive
- Author
-
MSP, M&V, Verbruggen EMJ, Wassenaar PNH, Smit CE, MSP, M&V, Verbruggen EMJ, Wassenaar PNH, and Smit CE
- Abstract
RIVM rapport:RIVM proposes water quality standards for PFOA. This perfluoro compound has been used for the production of teflon and is found in many surface waters around the world. The quality standard for chronic exposure accounts for the accumulation of PFOA in fish. Using this information, RIVM calculated a safe concentration in water of 48 nanograms per liter, which is protective for lifetime consumption of fish by humans and wildlife. For this research an extensive overview was made of the scientific data on effects of PFOA on aquatic organisms and the accumulation in biota. Based on the oral risk limit for humans as derived recently by RIVM, a maximum allowable concentration in fish was calculated assuming a lifetime daily consumption. This biota standard is converted to an equivalent safe concentration in water using information on the uptake of PFOA from water by fish. Data on bioaccumulation are needed because the water quality standard for ecological effects on aquatic organisms is not sufficiently protective for food chain effects. PFOA has a relatively low toxicity for water organisms, but may pose a problem when entering the food chain via fish. The use of PFOA is restricted by European law, but it can still reach the environment from PFOA-containing products that were produced in the past. Because of its high persistence, emissions will lead to long term presence in the environment. An initial comparison with monitoring data indicates that the safe concentration derived in this research is not exceeded in Dutch surface waters., Het RIVM doet een voorstel voor waterkwaliteitsnormen voor PFOA. Deze perfluorverbinding is jarenlang gebruikt bij de productie van teflon en wordt overal ter wereld in het oppervlaktewater aangetroffen. De norm voor de langetermijn-blootstelling houdt rekening met de mate waarin PFOA zich ophoopt in vis. Met die informatie heeft het RIVM berekend dat een concentratie van 48 nanogram per liter veilig is als mensen, vogels en zoogdieren hun leven lang vis uit dat water zouden eten. Voor dit onderzoek is een uitgebreid overzicht gemaakt van wat er in de wetenschappelijke literatuur bekend is over de effecten van PFOA op waterorganismen en in welke mate ze deze stof opnemen. In eerder onderzoek heeft het RIVM bepaald hoeveel een mens van de stof zou mogen binnenkrijgen zonder daar schadelijke gevolgen van te ondervinden. Vervolgens is berekend wat er maximaal in vis zou mogen zitten als mensen elke dag gedurende hun hele leven vis zouden eten. Deze waarde in vis is vertaald naar een veilige concentratie in water. Dit is gedaan met behulp van gegevens over de mate waarin vissen PFOA opnemen vanuit het water. Deze werkwijze is gevolgd omdat de voedselketen onvoldoende wordt beschermd door de ecologische norm voor waterorganismen. PFOA is relatief weinig giftig voor waterorganismen zelf, maar kan een probleem vormen als de stof via vis in de voedselketen terechtkomt. Het gebruik van PFOA is in Europa inmiddels aan banden gelegd, maar kan nog wel vrijkomen uit producten waarin de stof in het verleden is verwerkt. Omdat PFOA nauwelijks afbreekt, zullen restanten nog lang in het milieu aanwezig blijven. Uit een eerste vergelijking met meetgegevens blijkt echter dat de veilige concentratie momenteel niet wordt overschreden in Nederlands oppervlaktewater
- Published
- 2017
13. Risicogrenzen PFOA voor grond en grondwater : Uitwerking ten behoeve van generiek en gebiedsspecifiek beleid
- Author
-
DDB, M&V, Lijzen JPA, Wassenaar PNH, Smit CE, Posthuma CJAM, Brand E, Swartjes FA, Verbruggen EMJ, Versteegh JFM, DDB, M&V, Lijzen JPA, Wassenaar PNH, Smit CE, Posthuma CJAM, Brand E, Swartjes FA, Verbruggen EMJ, and Versteegh JFM
- Abstract
The municipality of Dordrecht commissioned the RIVM to derive risk limits for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in soil and groundwater. The local government can determine if the quality of the soil and groundwater can cause risks to humans and the environment, and if measures are needed. The contamination with PFOA is probably caused in the end of the last Century. PFOA was used by Dupont/Chemours in Dordrecht up to 2012 for the production of polymers. This report derives generic risk limits for soil and groundwater according the method for deriving Intervention Values. This approach takes into account exposure of men and the environment from contamination in soil and groundwater. Additionally site-specific (or soil use specific risk limits have been derived for soil and groundwater for different types of land use. It is focusing on residential and industrial areas, taking into account the relevant exposure routes. The municipality can use the derived risk limits to develop a policy depending on the land use and for the reuse of soil in the municipality., In opdracht van de gemeente Dordrecht heeft het RIVM risicogrenzen voor perfluoroctaanzuur (PFOA) in grond en grondwater afgeleid. De gemeente kan hiermee bepalen of de kwaliteit van de grond en het grondwater een risico vormt voor mens en milieu, en of maatregelen nodig zijn. De verontreiniging door PFOA is naar verwachting eind vorige eeuw ontstaan. PFOA werd door de Dupont/Chemours fabriek in Dordrecht tot 2012 gebruikt bij de productie van polymeren. In het huidige rapport zijn generieke risicogrenzen afgeleid voor grond en grondwater volgens de interventiewaardenmethodiek, waarbij rekening gehouden wordt met blootstelling van mens en milieu vanuit grond en grondwater. Daarnaast zijn locatiespecifieke of bodemgebruik-specifieke risicogrenzen afgeleid voor grond en grondwater voor verschillende bodemgebruiksvormen. Deze zijn toegespitst op de bestemming wonen en industrie, rekening houdend met de relevante blootstellingsroutes. De gemeente kan de afgeleide risicogrenzen gebruiken om, indien gewenst, gebiedsspecifiek beleid te maken voor het bodemgebruik en grondverzet.
- Published
- 2017
14. The role of trust in the use of artificial intelligence for chemical risk assessment.
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH, Minnema J, Vriend J, Peijnenburg WJGM, Pennings JLA, and Kienhuis A
- Subjects
- Machine Learning, Computer Simulation, Risk Assessment, Artificial Intelligence, Trust
- Abstract
Risk assessment of chemicals is a time-consuming process and needs to be optimized to ensure all chemicals are timely evaluated and regulated. This transition could be stimulated by valuable applications of in silico Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) models. However, implementation of AI/ML models in risk assessment is lagging behind. Most AI/ML models are considered 'black boxes' that lack mechanistical explainability, causing risk assessors to have insufficient trust in their predictions. Here, we explore 'trust' as an essential factor towards regulatory acceptance of AI/ML models. We provide an overview of the elements of trust, including technical and beyond-technical aspects, and highlight elements that are considered most important to build trust by risk assessors. The results provide recommendations for risk assessors and computational modelers for future development of AI/ML models, including: 1) Keep models simple and interpretable; 2) Offer transparency in the data and data curation; 3) Clearly define and communicate the scope/intended purpose; 4) Define adoption criteria; 5) Make models accessible and user-friendly; 6) Demonstrate the added value in practical settings; and 7) Engage in interdisciplinary settings. These recommendations should ideally be acknowledged in future developments to stimulate trust and acceptance of AI/ML models for regulatory purposes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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15. What is the ecotoxicity of a given chemical for a given aquatic species? Predicting interactions between species and chemicals using recommender system techniques.
- Author
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Viljanen M, Minnema J, Wassenaar PNH, Rorije E, and Peijnenburg W
- Subjects
- Animals, Ecotoxicology, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Machine Learning
- Abstract
Ecotoxicological safety assessment of chemicals requires toxicity data on multiple species, despite the general desire of minimizing animal testing. Predictive models, specifically machine learning (ML) methods, are one of the tools capable of solving this apparent contradiction as they allow to generalize toxicity patterns across chemicals and species. However, despite the availability of large public toxicity datasets, the data is highly sparse, complicating model development. The aim of this study is to provide insights into how ML can predict toxicity using a large but sparse dataset. We developed models to predict LC50-values, based on experimental LC50-data covering 2431 organic chemicals and 1506 aquatic species from the ECOTOX-database. Several well-known ML techniques were evaluated and a new ML model was developed, inspired by recommender systems. This new model involves a simple linear model that learns low-rank interactions between species and chemicals using factorization machines. We evaluated the predictive performances of the developed models based on two validation settings: 1) predicting unseen chemical-species pairs, and 2) predicting unseen chemicals. The results of this study show that ML models can accurately predict LC50-values in both validation settings. Moreover, we show that the novel factorization machine approach can match well-tuned, complex, ML approaches.
- Published
- 2023
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16. ZZS similarity tool: The online tool for similarity screening to identify chemicals of potential concern.
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Wassenaar PNH, Rorije E, Vijver MG, and Peijnenburg WJGM
- Abstract
Screening and prioritization of chemicals is essential to ensure that available evaluation capacity is invested in those substances that are of highest concern. We, therefore, recently developed structural similarity models that evaluate the structural similarity of substances with unknown properties to known Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), which could be an indication of comparable effects. In the current study the performance of these models is improved by (1) separating known SVHCs in more specific subgroups, (2) (re-)optimizing similarity models for the various SVHC-subgroups, and (3) improving interpretability of the predicted outcomes by providing a confidence score. The improvements are directly incorporated in a freely accessible web-based tool, named the ZZS similarity tool: https://rvszoeksysteem.rivm.nl/ZzsSimilarityTool. Accordingly, this tool can be used by risk assessors, academia and industrial partners to screen and prioritize chemicals for further action and evaluation within varying frameworks, and could support the identification of tomorrow's substances of concern., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Computational Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2022
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17. Characterization of ecotoxicological risks from unintentional mixture exposures calculated from European freshwater monitoring data: Forwarding prospective chemical risk management.
- Author
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Rorije E, Wassenaar PNH, Slootweg J, van Leeuwen L, van Broekhuizen FA, and Posthuma L
- Subjects
- Environmental Monitoring methods, Fresh Water, Prospective Studies, Risk Assessment methods, Ecosystem, Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis
- Abstract
Current regulatory chemical safety assessments do not acknowledge that ambient exposures are to multiple chemicals at the same time. As a result, potentially harmful exposures to unintentional mixtures may occur, leading to potential insufficient protection of the environment. The present study describes cumulative environmental risk assessment results for European fresh water ecosystems, based on the NORMAN chemical surface water monitoring database (1998-2016). It aims to characterize the magnitude of the mixture problem and the relative contribution of chemicals to the mixture risk, and evaluates how cumulative risks reduce when the acceptable risk per single chemical is fractionally lowered. Available monitoring data were curated and aggregated to 26,631 place-time combinations with at least two chemicals, of which 376 place-time combinations had at least 25 chemicals identified above the Limit of Detection. Various risk metrics were based on measured environmental concentrations (MECs). Mixture risk characterization ratio's (ΣRCRs) ≥ 1 were found for 39% of the place-time combinations, with few chemicals dominating the ΣRCR. Analyses of mixture toxic pressures, expressed as multi-substance Potentially Affected Fractions of species based on No Observed Effect Concentrations (msPAF
NOEC ), showed similar outcomes. Small fractional reductions of the ambient chemical concentrations give a steep increase of the percentage of sufficiently protected water bodies (i.e. ΣRCR < 1 and msPAFNOEC < 5%). Scientific and regulatory aspects of these results are discussed, especially with reference to the representativeness of the monitoring data for characterizing ambient mixtures, the robustness of the findings, and the possible regulatory implementation of the concept of a Mixture Allocation Factor (MAF) for prospective chemicals risk management. Although the monitoring data do not represent the full spectrum of ambient mixture exposures in Europe, results show the need for adapting policies to reach European Union goals for a toxic-free environment and underpin the utility and possible magnitude of a MAF., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2022
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18. Persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity-assessment of petroleum UVCBs: A case study on alkylated three-ring PAHs.
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH and Verbruggen EMJ
- Subjects
- Bioaccumulation, Europe, Risk Assessment, Petroleum analysis, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons toxicity
- Abstract
Substances with (very) persistent, (very) bioaccumulative, and/or toxic properties (PBT/vPvB) are of environmental concern and are identified via hazard-based PBT-assessment approaches. The PBT-assessment of well-defined substances is optimized over the past decades, but is under development for substances of unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products or biological materials (UVCBs). Particularly, the large number of constituents and variable composition complicate the PBT-assessment of UVCBs. For petroleum UVCBs, the use of the hydrocarbon block method (HBM) is proposed. Within this method, groups of constituents with similar physicochemical properties and structure are treated as a single entity and are expected to have comparable environmental fate and hazard properties. So far, however, there is a lack of experience with the application of the HBM for PBT-assessment purposes. The aim of this study is to investigate the suitability of the HBM for the PBT-assessment of petroleum UVCBs by evaluating the group of alkylated three-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The presented approach is based on experimental data and model predictions and followed the guidelines of the European Chemicals Agency. Because of a lack of relevant experimental data, relative trend analyses were applied. The results indicate that alkylated three-ring PAHs are more persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic than the parent three-ring PAHs. As the parent three-ring PAHs are currently identified within Europe as PBT/vPvB substances, the alkylated three-ring PAHs could also be considered as PBT/vPvB. Accordingly, this case study provides the prospects for the application of the HBM for the PBT-assessment of UVCBs using trend analysis., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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19. Evaluating chemical similarity as a measure to identify potential substances of very high concern.
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH, Rorije E, Vijver MG, and Peijnenburg WJGM
- Subjects
- Animal Testing Alternatives, Benzhydryl Compounds chemistry, Benzhydryl Compounds toxicity, Carcinogens chemistry, Carcinogens toxicity, Diet, Endocrine Disruptors chemistry, Endocrine Disruptors toxicity, Molecular Structure, Mutagens chemistry, Mutagens toxicity, Phenols chemistry, Phenols toxicity, Risk Assessment, Structure-Activity Relationship, Triazoles chemistry, Triazoles toxicity, Hazardous Substances chemistry, Hazardous Substances toxicity, Models, Theoretical
- Abstract
Due to the large amount of chemical substances on the market, fast and reproducible screening is essential to prioritize chemicals for further evaluation according to highest concern. We here evaluate the performance of structural similarity models that are developed to identify potential substances of very high concern (SVHC) based on structural similarity to known SVHCs. These models were developed following a systematic analysis of the performance of 112 different similarity measures for varying SVHC-subgroups. The final models consist of the best combinations of fingerprint, similarity coefficient and similarity threshold, and suggested a high predictive performance (≥80%) on an internal dataset consisting of SVHC and non-SVHC substances. However, the application performance on an external dataset was not evaluated. Here, we evaluated the application performance of the developed similarity models with a 'pseudo-external assessment' on a set of substances (n = 60-100 for the varying SVHC-subgroups) that were putatively assessed as SVHC or non-SVHC based upon consensus scoring using expert elicitations (n = 30 experts). Expert scores were direct evaluations based on structural similarity to the most similar SVHCs according to the similarity models, and did not consider an extensive evaluation of available data. The use of expert opinions is particularly suitable as this is exactly the intended purpose of the chemical similarity models: a quick, reproducible and automated screening tool that mimics the expert judgement that is frequently applied in various screening applications. In addition, model predictions were analyzed via qualitative approaches and discussed via specific examples, to identify the model's strengths and limitations. The results indicate a good statistical performance for carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR) and endocrine disrupting (ED) substances, whereas a moderate performance was observed for (very) persistent, (very) bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT/vPvB) substances when compared to expert opinions. For the PBT/vPvB model, particularly false positive substances were identified, indicating the necessity of outcome interpretation. The developed similarity models are made available as a freely-accessible online tool. In general, the structural similarity models showed great potential for screening and prioritization purposes. The models proved to be effective in identifying groups of substances of potential concern, and could be used to identify follow-up directions for substances of potential concern., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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20. Variability in fish bioconcentration factors: Influences of study design and consequences for regulation.
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH, Verbruggen EMJ, Cieraad E, Peijnenburg WJGM, and Vijver MG
- Subjects
- Animals, Bioaccumulation, Environmental Exposure analysis, Kinetics, Molecular Weight, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons analysis, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons chemistry, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons pharmacokinetics, Reproducibility of Results, Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis, Water Pollutants, Chemical chemistry, Ecotoxicology methods, Fishes, Water Pollutants, Chemical pharmacokinetics
- Abstract
The fish bioconcentration factor (BCF) is an important aspect within bioaccumulation assessments. Several factors have been suggested to influence BCF values - including species, developmental stage, mixture exposure, and calculation method. However, their exact contribution to variance in BCF values is unknown. Within this study we assessed the relative impact of these test characteristics on BCF values and analyzed the reproducibility of aquatic exposure bioconcentration tests. Linear mixed effects analyses were performed on a newly develop database to investigate the relationship between the response variable (i.e. lipid normalized log BCF values) and several test characteristics as fixed effects. Lower BCF values were observed for substances that were simultaneously applied with high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons compared to single substance exposure (with an average difference of -0.81 log BCF). Also, lower BCFs upon kinetic determination were observed compared to steady-state BCFs (log BCF -0.27), and lower BCFs for species from the Ostariophysi subcohort level (log BCF -0.17 to -0.15). In addition, data analysis showed high variation within BCF values for single substances (average SD = log BCF 0.21), which questions the robustness of the current bioaccumulation assessments. For example, the 95% confidence range of a BCF value of 2500 ranges from 953 ('not-bioaccumulative') to 6561 ('very bioaccumulative'). Our results show that the use of one single BCF leads to a high uncertainty in bioaccumulation assessments. We strongly recommend that within future bioconcentration studies, the used experimental design and test conditions are described in detail and justified to support solid interpretation., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2020
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21. Systematic review and meta-analysis of early life exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and obesity related outcomes in rodents.
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH and Legler J
- Subjects
- Adipose Tissue drug effects, Aging metabolism, Animals, Body Weight drug effects, Humans, Obesity metabolism, Rodentia metabolism, Triglycerides metabolism, Aging drug effects, Diethylhexyl Phthalate toxicity, Environmental Pollutants toxicity, Obesity chemically induced, Plasticizers toxicity, Rodentia growth & development
- Abstract
Background: It has been suggested that the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) exerts obesogenic effects after pre- or perinatal exposure., Objective: A systematic review with meta-analyses was conducted of early life exposure to DEHP, or its biologically active metabolite mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), on the obesity related outcome measures body weight, fat (pad) weight, triglycerides, free fatty acids and leptin in experimental rodent studies., Methods: The applied methodology was pre-specified in a rigorous protocol. Relevant articles were identified using PubMed and EMBASE and meta-analyses were performed using mean differences (MD) and random effects model when at least five studies could be included per outcome measure. Risk of bias and the quality of evidence was assessed using established methodologies., Results: Overall, 31 studies could be included and meta-analyses could be performed for body weight and fat weight. Early life exposure to DEHP was significantly associated with increased fat weight (MD = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.03), while a non-significant association was estimated for body weight (MD = -0.14; 95% CI: -0.32, 0.04). There was substantial heterogeneity across studies and the information was insufficient to assess the risk of bias for most studies. No meta-analyses could be conducted for other outcome measures, because too few studies were available., Conclusions: The results of this systematic review indicate that early life exposure to DEHP is potentially associated with increased adiposity in rodents. More data is needed to strengthen the evidence base., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
- Published
- 2017
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- View/download PDF
22. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Early-Life Exposure to Bisphenol A and Obesity-Related Outcomes in Rodents.
- Author
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Wassenaar PNH, Trasande L, and Legler J
- Subjects
- Adipose Tissue, Adiposity, Animals, Body Weight, Environmental Exposure adverse effects, Obesity, Rats, Triglycerides, Benzhydryl Compounds toxicity, Environmental Exposure analysis, Environmental Pollutants toxicity, Phenols toxicity
- Abstract
Background: Early-life exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been implicated to play a role in the development of obesity., Objective: A systematic review with meta-analyses of experimental rodent studies was conducted to answer the following question: does early-life exposure to BPA affect the obesity-related outcomes body weight, fat (pad) weight, and circulating and tissue levels of triglycerides, free fatty acids (FFA), and leptin?, Methods: The methodology was prespecified in a rigorous protocol using the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) approach. Using PubMed and EMBASE, we identified 61 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias and the methodological quality of these articles were assessed using the SYRCLE Risk of Bias tool, and a confidence-rating methodology was used to score the quality of evidence. Meta-analyses were performed using random effect models and standardized mean differences (SMDs), or, where possible, mean differences (MDs) were calculated., Results: Overall summary estimates indicated significant positive associations between BPA and fat weight [SMD=0.67 (95% CI: 0.53, 0.81)], triglycerides [SMD=0.97 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.40)], and FFA [SMD=0.86 (95% CI: 0.50, 1.22)], and a nonsignificant positive association with leptin levels [MD=0.37 (95% CI: -0.14, 0.87)] and a significant negative association with body weight were estimated [MD=-0.22 (95% CI: -0.37, -0.06)]. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger positive associations for most outcome measures in males and at doses below the current U.S. reference dose of 50μg/kg/d compared with doses above the reference dose. It should be noted that there was substantial heterogeneity across studies for all outcomes assessed and that there was insufficient information to assess risk of bias for most studies., Conclusions: Findings from our systematic review suggest that early-life exposure to BPA may increase adiposity and circulating lipid levels in rodents. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1233.
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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