.chap IRI-researchers forecast toxicity using fewer laboratory animals.The toxicity of mixed metals is hard to predict. Researchers of IRI try to change that.
They are working on a new model, a glass ball for toxicologist. Guinea pigs can rejoice.
Toxicologist can now prescribe a substance%s toxicity without having to use the substance itself. %It doesn%t matter if we look at copper, iron or silver in any concentration in any organism, whether it%s a mouse, water flea, enzyme system, etc.,” says Bert Wolterbeek, senior scientific researcher at IRI. %We can figure out metal toxicity without adding the metal to an animal. This will hopefully lead to using fewer laboratory animals.”
Wolterbeek studied four general characteristics of all the elements of the periodic table. These four properties % how easy they take up electrons, their electro potential, their ionisation potential, and the size and weight of the atoms % combine to form the chemical reactivity of the elements and to describe how the elements tend to join into reactions.
Germanium, caesium, boron, lithium, uranium, manganese and selenium were ultimately the cornerstones, representing the minimal and maximal values of these characteristics. %Because we have the extremes for the chemical properties, we could design a scale for toxicity which included everything,” Wolterbeek explains. For example, the next time scientists look for the concentrations at which mice lose their hair, they will first make a scale with all the cornerstone elements. Mice receive the cornerstones via their food, so the concentrations at which they start losing hair is known. Lead lies between the extremes of chemical properties and no longer needs to be added. %Lead toxicity can be predicted now, as well as all other elements, because all extremes are taken along in the calibration.”
Until now, toxicologists didn%t know the extremes; they concluded toxicity from measured toxic concentrations to estimate greater concentrations, but the scale division was wrong. %Some toxicologist made the mistake of measuring outside the permitted area. The model I made, has the right scale division, so you never measure beside the scale.”
To know how an element behaves in solutions is one thing, but mixtures are much more common in nature. %Predicting the behaviour of mixtures is the most difficult part of toxicology,” Wolterbeek says. %Now we can forecast one element in all kinds of organisms, and we have a good base to go on.”
Wolterbeek has received lots of positive reactions from his colleagues and hopes for more. %Everybody has his own manner of experimenting. When someone uses my method, they will come to questions. Things I did not think of. In that way, the model will be adjusted and improved every time someone uses it. Finally, we can use this to design a model for predicting element mixtures. Perhaps then, we can predict a real mixture situation.”
.chap IRI-researchers forecast toxicity using fewer laboratory animals.
The toxicity of mixed metals is hard to predict. Researchers of IRI try to change that. They are working on a new model, a glass ball for toxicologist. Guinea pigs can rejoice.
Toxicologist can now prescribe a substance%s toxicity without having to use the substance itself. %It doesn%t matter if we look at copper, iron or silver in any concentration in any organism, whether it%s a mouse, water flea, enzyme system, etc.,” says Bert Wolterbeek, senior scientific researcher at IRI. %We can figure out metal toxicity without adding the metal to an animal. This will hopefully lead to using fewer laboratory animals.”
Wolterbeek studied four general characteristics of all the elements of the periodic table. These four properties % how easy they take up electrons, their electro potential, their ionisation potential, and the size and weight of the atoms % combine to form the chemical reactivity of the elements and to describe how the elements tend to join into reactions.
Germanium, caesium, boron, lithium, uranium, manganese and selenium were ultimately the cornerstones, representing the minimal and maximal values of these characteristics. %Because we have the extremes for the chemical properties, we could design a scale for toxicity which included everything,” Wolterbeek explains. For example, the next time scientists look for the concentrations at which mice lose their hair, they will first make a scale with all the cornerstone elements. Mice receive the cornerstones via their food, so the concentrations at which they start losing hair is known. Lead lies between the extremes of chemical properties and no longer needs to be added. %Lead toxicity can be predicted now, as well as all other elements, because all extremes are taken along in the calibration.”
Until now, toxicologists didn%t know the extremes; they concluded toxicity from measured toxic concentrations to estimate greater concentrations, but the scale division was wrong. %Some toxicologist made the mistake of measuring outside the permitted area. The model I made, has the right scale division, so you never measure beside the scale.”
To know how an element behaves in solutions is one thing, but mixtures are much more common in nature. %Predicting the behaviour of mixtures is the most difficult part of toxicology,” Wolterbeek says. %Now we can forecast one element in all kinds of organisms, and we have a good base to go on.”
Wolterbeek has received lots of positive reactions from his colleagues and hopes for more. %Everybody has his own manner of experimenting. When someone uses my method, they will come to questions. Things I did not think of. In that way, the model will be adjusted and improved every time someone uses it. Finally, we can use this to design a model for predicting element mixtures. Perhaps then, we can predict a real mixture situation.”
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