title: From Bioavailability Science to Regulation of Organic Chemicals.
abstract: The bioavailability of organic chemicals in soil and sediment is an important area of scientific investigation for environmental scientists, although this area of study remains only partially recognized by regulators and industries working in the environmental sector. Regulators have recently started to consider bioavailability within retrospective risk assessment frameworks for organic chemicals; by doing so, realistic decision-making with regard to polluted environments can be achieved, rather than relying on the traditional approach of using total-extractable concentrations. However, implementation remains difficult because scientific developments on bioavailability are not always translated into ready-to-use approaches for regulators. Similarly, bioavailability remains largely unexplored within prospective regulatory frameworks that address the approval and regulation of organic chemicals. This article discusses bioavailability concepts and methods, as well as possible pathways for the implementation of bioavailability into risk assessment and regulation; in addition, this article offers a simple, pragmatic and justifiable approach for use within retrospective and prospective risk assessment.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologı́a de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC), Apartado 1052, E-41080-Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ortega-Calvo
authors.affiliation: Alterra-Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joop
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harmsen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam , P.O. Box 94240, 1092 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University , LA1 4YQ Lancaster, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kirk T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Semple
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, 27599-7431 North Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.affiliation: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Annankatu 18, 00120 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Charmaine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ajao
authors.affiliation: Shell Health, Brabazon House, Threapwood Road, Concord Business Park, M22 9PS Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eadsforth
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC), 2 Avenue E. van Nieuwenhuyse (Bte 8), B-1160 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Malyka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galay-Burgos
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle and CRC CARE, University Drive , NSW 2308 Callaghan, Australia.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naidu
authors.affiliation: Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) , Center for Safety of Substances and Products, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.|Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University , 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willie J G M
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Peijnenburg
authors.affiliation: ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Böttgerstr. 2-14, D-65439 Flörsheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Römbke
authors.affiliation: European Commission, DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, REACH Unit, B-1049 Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Streck
authors.affiliation: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Annankatu 18, 00120 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Bram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Versonnen
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants