Past PCB concentration trends reconstructed from dated sediment cores are used as inputs to model the time-dependent bioaccumulation in selected aquatic organisms. Specifically, the modelling framework combines bioaccumulation modelling in aquatic species, human intake modelling through the diet, together with PBPK modelling of internal exposure. MERLIN-Expo is demonstrated on a case study in the Lagoon of Venice, aimed at estimating environmental and human exposure to different congeners of PCBs. Moreover, MERLIN-Expo incorporates advanced functionalities for uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. There is no limitation for temporal scale, and the combination of different model boxes allow to cover different spatial scales.
The models can be used to dynamically simulate fate and exposure for all organic (e.g., PAHs, PCBs, pesticides) and inorganic contaminants. This tool provides a library of exposure models which can be flexibly combined to explore complex scenarios, coupling on the same platform multimedia and physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models for estimating human intake and internal exposure. We demonstrate a new modelling tool for the integrated assessment of exposure to chemicals, called MERLIN-Expo, which is currently being refined and validated within the FP7 project "4FUN". Risk managers and decision makers are in need of tools that inform environmental and human exposures in different spatial and temporal dimensions.
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