Review—Global Environmental Issue

Thresholds of toxicological concern for endocrine active substances in the aquatic environment

  1. Melanie Gross1,
  2. Klaus Daginnus2,
  3. Genevieve Deviller2,
  4. Watze de Wolf3,
  5. Stephen Dungey4,
  6. Corrado Galli5,
  7. Anne Gourmelon6,
  8. Miriam Jacobs2,
  9. Peter Matthiessen7,
  10. Christian Micheletti2,
  11. Earle Nestmann8,
  12. Manuela Pavan2,
  13. Ana Paya-Perez2,
  14. Hans-Toni Ratte9,
  15. Bob Safford10,
  16. Birgit Sokull-Klüttgen2,
  17. Frauke Stock11,
  18. Hans-Christian Stolzenberg11,
  19. James Wheeler12,
  20. Marc Willuhn13,
  21. Andrew Worth2,
  22. Jose Manuel Zaldivar Comenges2,
  23. Mark Crane1,*

Article first published online: 4 NOV 2009

DOI: 10.1897/IEAM_2008-092.1

Issue

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management

Volume 6, Issue 1, pages 2–11, January 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Gross, M., Daginnus, K., Deviller, G., de Wolf, W., Dungey, S., Galli, C., Gourmelon, A., Jacobs, M., Matthiessen, P., Micheletti, C., Nestmann, E., Pavan, M., Paya-Perez, A., Ratte, H.-T., Safford, B., Sokull-Klüttgen, B., Stock, F., Stolzenberg, H.-C., Wheeler, J., Willuhn, M., Worth, A., Zaldivar Comenges, J. M. and Crane, M. (2010), Thresholds of toxicological concern for endocrine active substances in the aquatic environment. Integr Environ Assess Manag, 6: 2–11. doi: 10.1897/IEAM_2008-092.1

Author Information

  1. 1

    wca environment limited, Brunel House, Volunteer Way, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7YR, United Kingdom

  2. 2

    European Commission Joint Research Centre, Via Fermi 1, Ispra, Italy

  3. 3

    Dupont Coordination Center, A. Spinoystraat 6, Mechelen, Belgium

  4. 4

    Environment Agency, Red Kite House, Howbery Park, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

  5. 5

    University of Milan, via Balzaretti 9, Milan, Italy

  6. 6

    OECD, 2 rue André-Pascal, Paris, France

  7. 7

    Old School House, Brow Edge, Backbarrow, Ulverston, Cumbria, United Kingdom

  8. 8

    Cantox Health Sciences International, 2233 Argentia Road, Suite 308, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

  9. 9

    RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, Aachen, Germany

  10. 10

    Unilever SEAC, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom

  11. 11

    Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), Wörlitzer Platz 1, Dessau, Germany

  12. 12

    Syngenta Ltd, Environmental Safety, Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

  13. 13

    Cefic, Avenue E. Van Nieuwenhuyse 4, Brussels, Belgium

*wca environment limited, Brunel House, Volunteer Way, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7YR, United Kingdom

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 DEC 2009
  2. Article first published online: 4 NOV 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 24 JUN 2009
  4. Manuscript Revised: 24 APR 2009
  5. Manuscript Received: 17 DEC 2008

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Keywords:

  • Threshold of toxicological concern;
  • Endocrine active substances;
  • Estrogen Risk assessment

Abstract

The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) concept proposes that an exposure threshold value can be derived for chemicals, below which no significant risk to human health or the environment is expected. This concept goes further than setting acceptable exposure levels for individual chemicals, because it attempts to set a de minimis value for chemicals, including those of unknown toxicity, by taking the chemical's structure or mode of action (MOA) into consideration. This study examines the use of the TTC concern concept for endocrine active substances (EAS) with an estrogenic MOA. A case study formed the basis for a workshop of regulatory, industry and academic scientists held to discuss the use of the TTC in aquatic environmental risk assessment. The feasibility and acceptability, general advantages and disadvantages, and the specific issues that need to be considered when applying the TTC concept for EAS in risk assessment were addressed. Issues surrounding the statistical approaches used to derive TTCs were also discussed. This study presents discussion points and consensus findings of the workshop. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010; 6:2–11. © 2009 SETAC

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