Use of QSARs in international decision-making frameworks to predict ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemical substances

Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Aug;111(10):1376-90. doi: 10.1289/ehp.5759.

Abstract

This article is a review of the use, by regulatory agencies and authorities, of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) to predict ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemicals. For many years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been the most prominent regulatory agency using QSARs to predict the ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemicals. However, as increasing numbers of standard QSAR methods are developed and validated to predict ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemicals, it is anticipated that more regulatory agencies and authorities will find them to be acceptable alternatives to chemical testing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Decision Making, Organizational*
  • Ecosystem
  • Environmental Exposure*
  • Environmental Pollutants*
  • European Union
  • Expert Systems
  • Government Regulation
  • Humans
  • International Cooperation*
  • Protein Binding
  • Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • United States

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Receptors, Estrogen