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701-0998-00L 3 Credits MSC , DR D-USYS , D-HEST

Environmental and Human Health Risk Assessment of Chemicals

Lecturers & Examiners: PD Dr. Beate Escher, Prof. Dr. Martin Scheringer
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:13:57

Abstract

Application of methods for chemical risk assessment for human health and the environmental according to European 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.

Objective

The 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. Specifically: 1. Presentation of the political and legal context of the assessment of chemical products, with a particular focus on REACH (chemicals regulation of the EU). 2. Presentation of assessment methods and of specific methods necessary for estimating the emissions of chemicals, of the resulting exposure of humans and the environment, and of the ensuing adverse effects. Handling of data gaps and uncertainty; overall evaluation of the assessment results.

Content

Regulatory 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

Resources

Lecture Notes

Slides of lectures, lecture notes for selected chapters and additional reading material will be made available via polybox. Also templates for the exercises and the report will be made available via polybox.

Literature

- Van Leeuwen, C.J., Vermeire, T. (Eds.) (2007) Risk Assessment of Chemicals: An Introduction. Springer. Available in the ETH Library as e-book. - Hungerbühler, K., Boucher, J., Pereira, C., Roiss, T., Scheringer, M. (2021) Chemical Products and Processes. Foundations of Environmentally Oriented Design. Springer. Available in the ETH Library as e-book.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
MSC , DR
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
graded semester performance
Submission by each student of a written risk assessment dossier by 30.6.2024. Dossiers needed to be written by each student individually. If two dossiers are in large parts identical, this leads to a lower grade for both students. No additional exam; the written risk assessment dossiers will be graded.

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture with exercise Environmental and Human Health Risk Assessment of Chemicals
This course will include a combination of lectures, exercises and student presentations.
  • Mon 09:15-12:00 (CHN D 44)
3 h weekly

Offered In