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Development of an alternative testing strategy for the fish early life-stage (FELS) test using the AOP framework
Citation:
Knapen, D., L. Vergauwen, S. Verstraelen, F. Dardenne, H. Witters, R. Blust, Dan Villeneuve, AND G. Ankley. Development of an alternative testing strategy for the fish early life-stage (FELS) test using the AOP framework. Presented at SETAC Europe, Basel, SWITZERLAND, May 11 - 15, 2014.
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
Currently, the fish early life-stage (FELS) test (OECD 210) is the primary guideline used to estimate chronic toxicity of regulated chemicals. Although already more cost-efficient than adult fish tests, the FELS test has some important drawbacks. Both industry and regulatory institutions have recently expressed their interest in developing an alternative testing strategy for the FELS test with specific focus on non-animal alternatives and including mechanistic information.Exchanging data between toxicological and ecotoxicological studies offers the potential to find new clues to develop AOPs. The meta-analysis suggests that specifically acting chemicals such as pesticides exert part of their toxicity through the non-polar narcosis AOP. These general effects probably form the basis of the final adverse outcome of chemicals with a predominant narcotic AOP. Although these effects are often referred to as aspecific, they are probably most important for predicting chronic toxicity through narcosis. An important aspect in risk assessment of chemicals remains to identify which AOP will most likely dominate the adverse outcome.