Benchmark process

In toxicology, the benchmark method is an instrument for the statistical-mathematical analysis of existing dose-effect data . The aim is a quantitative risk assessment . A dose (after adjustment is a mathematical model of English benchmark dose , BMD), or a concentration of a substance in the air ( English concentration benchmark BMC) estimated, with a certain probability leads to an effect. The BMD or BMC is therefore linked to a benchmark response (BMR) established in advance , e.g. B. a 10% increase in cancer risk or a 10% decrease in body weight. In order to describe the certainty of the estimate, a confidence interval is usually given. The lower limit of the confidence range is known as the Benchmark Dose Lower Bound or Benchmark Dose Lower Confidence Limit (BMDL). This is usually the lower limit of a one-sided 90% or 95% confidence interval .

The benchmark method is of great importance in regulatory toxicology: it has been used by the American Environmental Protection Agency since 1999 , which has also developed software for the computer-aided implementation of benchmark dose analyzes.

In contrast to the NOAEL approach, all values ​​of the entire dose-effect curve are included in the benchmark procedure using statistical methods. Since the benchmark method also includes the shape of the dose-response curve and the sample size of the underlying study by specifying the confidence interval, it is considered to be superior to the NOAEL approach.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ TRGS 910 Risk-related concept of measures for activities with carcinogenic hazardous substances (TRGS 910), page 108, BAuA, accessed on July 29, 2015.
2. ↑ ^{a b} About BMDS US Environmental Protection Agency
3. ↑ Benchmark Dose Software (BMDS) US Environmental Protection Agency
4. ↑ W. Dekant, S. Vamvakas, H. Popa-Henning: Toxikologie. An introduction for chemists, biologists, and pharmacists. 2004, ISBN 978-3-8274-1452-6 .
5. ↑ JA Davis, JS Gift, QJ Zhao: Introduction to benchmark dose methods and US EPA's benchmark dose software (BMDS) version 2.1.1 , Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology , 2011, Volume 252 (2), pages 181-191. PDF
6. ↑ K. Schneider, M.Hassauer, J. Ottmanns, U. Schumacher-Wolz, E. Elmshäuser, O. Mosbach-Schulz: Probability calculation as an aid to assessing the effectiveness of employees , series of publications by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , 2004. PDF ( Memento of the original from 23 September 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.