Green toxicology.

Alexandra Maertens

doi:10.14573/altex.1406181

Abstract

Historically, early identification and characterization of adverse effects of industrial chemicals was difficult because conventional toxicological test methods did not meet R&D needs for rapid, relatively inexpensive methods amenable to small amounts of test material. The pharmaceutical industry now front-loads toxicity testing, using in silico, in vitro, and less demanding animal tests at earlier stages of product development to identify and anticipate undesirable toxicological effects and optimize product development. The Green Chemistry movement embraces similar ideas for development of less toxic products, safer processes, and less waste and exposure. Further, the concept of benign design suggests ways to consider possible toxicities before the actual synthesis and to apply some structure/activity rules (SAR) and in silico methods. This requires not only scientific development but also a change in corporate culture in which synthetic chemists work with toxicologists. An emerging discipline called Green Toxicology (Anastas, 2012) provides a framework for integrating the principles of toxicology into the enterprise of designing safer chemicals, thereby minimizing potential toxicity as early in production as possible. Green Toxicology`s novel utility lies in driving innovation by moving safety considerations to the earliest stage in a chemical`s lifecycle, i.e., to molecular design. In principle, this field is no different than other subdisciplines of toxicology that endeavor to focus on a specific area - for example, clinical, environmental or forensic toxicology. We use the same principles and tools to evaluate an existing substance or to design a new one. The unique emphasis is in using 21st century toxicology tools as a preventative strategy to "design out" undesired human health and environmental effects, thereby increasing the likelihood of launching a successful, sustainable product. Starting with the formation of a steering group and a series of workshops, the Green Toxicology concept is currently spreading internationally and is being refined via an iterative process.

Highlights

Over the past few decades, there has been an increase in consumer demand for less toxic, more environmentally-friendly products, as well as increasing regulatory and economic pressures for more sustainable products, less wasteful manufacturing, and a switch to renewable resources as source materials – in essence, a Green Chemistry approach (Anastas and Warner, 2005) that puts environmental and sustainable principles at the forefront of chemical design
In order for Green Chemistry to flourish, there must be a parallel paradigm change in toxicology: less toxic chemicals cannot be designed unless scientists have the necessary tools to quickly and accurately assess chemical hazards
QSARs developed for the pharmaceutical industry have a domain defined by suspected biological activity and may lack the accuracy necessary when the overwhelming number of chemicals, lack toxicity, as is the case for many industrial chemicals (Box 2); the respective estimates reflect internal ECVAM (European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods, EURL ECVAM) analyses of the European New Chemicals Database, which includes new industrial chemicals registered since 1981 under the Dangerous Substance Directive, around 2005 (Hoffmann et al, 2005; Hoffmann and Hartung, 2005)

Summary

Introduction

In order for Green Chemistry to flourish, there must be a parallel paradigm change in toxicology: less toxic chemicals cannot be designed unless scientists have the necessary tools to quickly and accurately assess chemical hazards. Green Toxicology combines the in vitro and in silico tools of predictive toxicology with the principles of chemical design to develop chemicals that have negligible toxicity.

Results

Conclusion