Hazard identification of chemicals:a more efficient approach

摘要

The OECD(organisation for economic co-operation and development)guidelines for hazard identification of chemicals have proved their worth in practice and are of great significance for designing adequate and relevant toxicity studies.However,assessment procedures are too time-consuming and too expensive.Thus,there is a need for a more efficient approach,taking into account exposure profile,chemical structure,thresholds of toxicological concern and structure-activity relationships,and paying special attention to mechanism of action and a more efficient application of animal studies.Such an approach,developed a couple of years ago by a committee of the "Health council of the Netherlands",will be highlighted in this article.