Exposure assessment

The exposure assessment is an essential element of risk characterisation in different regulatory areas (e.g. REACH, biocidal products legislation, cosmetics legislation). FoBiG has extensive experience both in the evaluation of monitoring data and in exposure modelling using suitable software tools, which is often required due to lacking monitoring data.

The following tools and approaches are used among others

• Software for simple Tier 1 estimates for the environment, occupational and consumer exposure, e.g. ECETOC TRA, EUSES or CHESAR
• Adaptation of input values in these tools, using e.g. site-specific parameters for environmental exposure estimation in the software described above (Tier 1.5)
• Software designed for Tier 2 assessments, such as the Advanced REACH Tool(ART) for the workplace and ConsExpo for consumer exposure
• Additional specialised software, e.g. SprayExpo for spraying processes or the RiskofDerm model for occupational dermal exposure

The respective software algorithms and the defaults contained in these tools are critically examined and – if necessary – adjusted. For example, sector-specific environmental release categories (spERCs) may be used in environmental exposure estimation and the tonnages used can be checked for plausibility. As another example, critical input values in some of the ConsExpo models can be calculated by more appropriate methods than the ones contained in the software itself. A detailed justification and documentation of the values chosen is central in all these approaches. FoBiG not only uses these instruments on a day-to-day basis, but has also dealt with them in research projects, e.g. for the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.