Abstract
Environmental context The use of assessment factors applied to guideline values derived using species sensitivity distributions adds an unnecessary level of conservatism. Using an adequate toxicity dataset and applying the latest model-averaging software will yield values of greatest reliability. Abstract The development of the Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD) more than 30 years ago was in direct response to the many criticisms concerning the use of subjective Assessment (or Application) Factors (AFs) in widespread use at the time. While not perfect, SSD modelling is statistically defensible whereas AFs are not. While intuitively appealing, we believe recent guidance recommending the use of AFs in conjunction with SSD modelling is concerning and has the potential to impose unnecessary, time-consuming and expensive follow-up investigations on both regulators and the regulated. This paper outlines our concerns and presents results of more contemporary analyses to quantify the impact of arbitrary scaling of SSD model outputs.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call