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Adverse Outcome Pathways During Early Fish Development: A Framework for Identifying and Implementing Alternative Chemical Prioritization Strategies
Citation:
VOLZ, D. C., S. BELANGER, M. EMBRY, S. J. PADILLA, H. SANDERSON, K. SCHIRMER, S. SCHOLZ, AND DAN VILLENEUVE. Adverse Outcome Pathways During Early Fish Development: A Framework for Identifying and Implementing Alternative Chemical Prioritization Strategies. TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Society of Toxicology, RESTON, VA, 123(2):349-358, (2011).
Impact/Purpose:
The present manuscript represents the product of an expert workshop that considered potential alternatives to chronic ecotoxicity tests with aquatic vertebrates. Specifically, it provides examples of how the Adverse Outcome Pathway concept can be used to support the development of a tiered testing strategy that employs toxicity pathway assays to screen chemicals and prioritize them based on their potential to cause fish early life stage mortality.
Description:
In accordance with recommendations contained in a National Research Council Report on Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and Strategy, as well as European goals pertaining to reducing, refining, and replacing the use of animals in ecotoxicology safety testing there is widespread interest within the Agency and the broader scientific community in replacing the traditional paradigm of apical, whole animal, toxicity testing with alternatives that are less labor and resource intensive. The present manuscript represents the product of an expert workshop that considered potential alternatives to chronic ecotoxicity tests with aquatic vertebrates. Specifically, it provides examples of how the Adverse Outcome Pathway concept can be used to support the development of a tiered testing strategy that employs toxicity pathway assays to screen chemicals and prioritize them based on their potential to cause fish early life stage mortality. Such a strategy, if properly developed could help guide selection of chemicals for more costly whole organism testing, specifically application of the OECD 210 (OCSPP 850.1400) test guideline. The type of strategy considered in the manuscript is highly consistent with goals of ORD’s developing Chemical Safety and Sustainability research program as well as EPA’s March 2009 Strategic Plan for Evaluating the Toxicity of Chemicals (EPA/100/K-09/001) and reflects support for these concepts within the scientific community.
