701-0998-00L  Environmental and Human Health Risk Assessment of Chemicals

SemesterSpring Semester 2020
LecturersM. Scheringer, B. Escher
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish



Courses

NumberTitleHoursLecturers
701-0998-00 GEnvironmental and Human Health Risk Assessment of Chemicals
Lectures will be conducted online only.
This block course will take place from 8 June to 19 June, 2020.
First block of lectures from 8 June to 10 June, preparation of student presentations on 11-12 June.
Second block of lectures 15 – 17 June; presentation of chemical risk assessment on 18-19 June 2020.
Submission of written risk assessment dossier by August 7, 2020.
32s hrsM. Scheringer, B. Escher

Catalogue data

AbstractApplication of methods for chemical risk assessment for human health and the environmental according to European and Swiss regulation; hazard and risk; exposure and effect analysis for different types of chemicals. Estimation of missing chemical properties (QSAR methods); critical evaluation of risk assessment methods, presentation of alternative assessment methods.
Learning objectiveThe students are familiar with regulatory approaches to human and environmental risk assessment of chemicals and can perform the main steps of a regulatory risk assessment for an industrial chemical. They are aware of pitfalls and challenges and know about new approaches to risk assessment.
ContentRegulatory methods for environmental risk assessment of chemicals (industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals), European regulation REACH, Swiss regulations, international approaches
- Human vs. environmental risk assessment
- Classification and labelling of chemicals
- PBT assessment (persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity)
- Exposure analysis: emission patterns, multimedia fate and transport models for quantifying environmental exposure, Long range transport and persistence, predicted and measured exposure concentration for the environment and humans
- Effect analysis: estimation of hazard potential for ecotoxicity and human health, extrapolation methods, classification of chemicals according to modes of toxic action, predictive models (QSAR)
- Risk assessment methods (deterministic vs. probabilistic), risk assessment vs. hazard assessment, risk management
- uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, precautionary principle
- Environmental Quality Assessment (water, sediment, biota), Water Framework Directive)
- New methods in environmental risk assessment: mixtures, temporally and spatially explicit risk assessment
Lecture notesSlides of lectures, lecture notes for selected chapters and additional reading material will be made available via ILIAS. Also templates for the exercises and the report will be made available via ILIAS.
Literature- Van Leeuwen, C.J., Vermeire, T. (Eds.) Risk Assessment of Chemicals: An Introduction. Springer, 2007 (als e-book in der ETH-Bibliothek verfügbar).
- Scheringer, M., Persistence and Spatial Range of Environmental Chemicals. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2002.
Prerequisites / NoticeBlock course: Lecture and accompanying exercise where students conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for one selected chemical each according to the European regulation for industrial chemicals. The risk assessment will be presented in class and has to be compiled in a written technical report (Chemical dossier) that will be graded.

The overall work load is 90 hours with 30 hours contact time (block course) and 60 hours self-study.

Performance assessment

Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
ECTS credits3 credits
ExaminersM. Scheringer, B. Escher
Typegraded semester performance
Language of examinationEnglish
RepetitionRepetition only possible after re-enrolling for the course unit.

Learning materials

No public learning materials available.
Only public learning materials are listed.

Groups

No information on groups available.

Restrictions

There are no additional restrictions for the registration.

Offered in

ProgrammeSectionType
Doctoral Department of Environmental SciencesBiogoechemistry and Pollutant DynamicsWInformation
Food Science MasterFood ToxicologyWInformation
Environmental Sciences MasterApplicationsWInformation
Environmental Sciences MasterMinor in Transdisciplinarity for Sustainable DevelopmentWInformation