The objective of INTEGRA is to bring together all available information within a coherent methodological framework for assessing the source-to-dose continuum for the entire life cycle of substances covering an extensive chemical space. In this perspective the major component of INTEGRA is a unified computational platform that integrates environmental fate, exposure and internal dose dynamically in time.
INTEGRA was developed through the Cefic LRI B11-CERTH project “Integrated External and Internal Exposure Modelling Platform (INTEGRA)”.
The platform is able to differentiate between biomonitoring data corresponding to steady exposure patterns as opposed to acute, one-off exposures. The platform has been largely validated using human biomonitoring data from Europe and the USA, for a variety of compounds covering a large chemical space.
The INTEGRA platform is a real operational and valuable tool to support a refined aggregate exposure assessment and human biomonitoring data assimilation which includes the following main elements:
- An on-line database where exposure factors and determinants are stored for the EU population including:
– Physical-chemical properties for an extensive chemical space
– Measured indoor and outdoor concentrations
– Behavior (consumer products usage, time-micro-environment-activity patterns, mouthing behavior, etc.)
– Human physiological parameters (inhalation rates, body masses, skin surface areas of body parts, etc.)
– Housing conditions (house volumes, air exchange rates)
– HBM data collected from pre-existing population studies
– Release rates of chemicals in consumer products.
- A web-based interface to facilitate and support users in the exposure scenario development process, differentiated across geographical location, age classes and gender.
- Indoor Air Quality modelling of chemicals for addressing near field exposure.
- Exposure modeling addressing oral, inhalation and dermal exposure, taking into account detailed time activity, behavioral and dietary data.
- Lifelong PBPK modeling for translating external exposure from multiple routes into internal dose both systemically and in target tissue, coupling exposure modeling with exposure biomarker measurements.
- Bayesian hierarchical population modeling (using Markov chain Monte Carlo) to account for probabilistic exposure assessment.
- Reverse modeling module for exposure reconstruction starting from HBM data.
Access
The platform is freely accessible upon registration at www.integra.cperi.certh.gr.
User help
A detailed tool manual is available for users who can access or download it from the main user interface of the platform. The manual is located on the top right part of the screen displayed just after the log in.
For more information about the project and its research objectives, do not hesitate to check the website: http://www.integra-lri.eu/.
