Search | OPac - the Publications Office online public access catalogue

1.

Inter-laboratory comparison of computational fluid dynamics codes for PEM fuel cell modelling [er]. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

An inter-laboratory comparison of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes exercise for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell modelling was performed to assess modelling accuracy. Since PEM fuel cell models require a multi-physics approach involving many different phenomena, a simple comparison with experimental polarisation curves is not sufficient for the identification of the individual sources of errors the simulation software. Therefore, this report presents a methodology based on the comparison of partial simulation results. The report introduces first the list physical models available for the simulation of fuel cell phenomena. It describes then in details reference numerical test cases. Finally, it provides an example of application showing that by this approach, it is possible to verify any simulation software for PEM fuel cells, including commercial systems, without access to the source code.

Add To Cart

2.

Interlaboratory comparison on the determination of the Volume Specific Surface Area (VSSA) of manufactured nanomaterials [er]. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is leading the development of an OECD Test Guideline (TG) for the determination of the Volume Specific Surface Area (VSSA) of manufactured nanomaterials. For this purpose JRC is collaborating with a group of experts for the preparation, execution and evaluation of preparatory work, including a collaborative study. The final draft TG will be presented for discussion and eventual approval to the OECD Working Group of the National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme. As agreed in the first meeting of the group of experts, the JRC organized and evaluated an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) on the determination of VSSA of nanomaterials by gas adsorption according to the Brunauer, Emmet and Teller (BET) method and gas pycnometry, with participation of seven laboratories. The objective of this ILC was to obtain information on the general applicability domain of these two techniques, and the transferability of the testing protocol. The final aim of the protocol is to calculate the VSSA, which is dependent on the Specific Surface Area (SSA) and skeletal density. This VSSA ILC is the first of its kind and started by developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) and associated reporting file; the SOP is based on the SOPs shared by some laboratories with the JRC and takes into account the existing international standards in this field (ISO 9277:2010 and ISO 12154:2014). The ILC was launched in May 2020 and concluded in November 2020 by presenting the evaluation of the results in a dedicated meeting of the group of experts. It was designed as semi-blind exercise with codes randomly attributed to samples and each of the seven participating laboratories. The seven selected test materials included inorganic (metal oxides – zinc oxide, and two types of titanium oxide) and carbon based materials (graphene and a multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)) as well as one organic pigment. The selected materials also cover various shapes with one, two and three dimensions in the nanoscale (e.g. fibre, platelets and particles) and a range of size distributions and aggregation. The availability of information on the material’s homogeneity was also a selection criteria. Thus, the selected set of test materials included four materials (metal oxides) that are (certified) reference materials for Specific Surface Area, two materials (MWCNT and the organic pigment) that were used in past ILCs within the Horizon 2020 NanoDefine project (http://www.nanodefine.eu/), and one material (graphene) from the JRC Nanomaterials Repository, which was analysed and showed adequate homogeneity according to ISO 13528:2015. The selected test materials were subsampled in the JRC Nanomaterials Repository facility, with the exception of the materials from NanoDefine that were already available in vials of 0.25 grams. Seven laboratories, from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Korea and the JRC-Ispra took part in this study by analysing a number of test materials according to a defined ILC matrix designed to decrease the resources needed per single laboratory. Hence, one of the materials was analysed by all laboratories and the rest of materials analysed by a minimum of three laboratories each. The laboratories had a varying degree of experience with the techniques. Three independent replicates per type of material were analysed according to the distributed SOP. The temperature ramp programme for degassing conditions was derived from the JRC’s thermogravimetric analysis of the test materials, which also illustrates their stability in the relevant range of temperature.. The seven laboratories reported results for the three measurands considered, i.e. (mass) Specific Surface Area, density and VSSA. The instrumentation in the laboratories included both equipment built in-house and commercial equipment. Some of the laboratories did not report triplicate analysis for skeletal density measurements. Therefore, the (preliminary) analysis done by JRC is based on the calculation of VSSA by multiplying the three values of the SSA replicate by the mean density of the relevant test sample. These data have been statistically evaluated by robust statistics according to the principles laid down in ISO 5725-5. The parameters calculated were the robust average or consensus value, the uncertainty of the consensus value, the repeatability and reproducibility and their respective relative standard deviations. The method performance characteristics assessed were the within-laboratory precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr), and the between-laboratory precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR). Overall results show good repeatability with RSDr values less than 2% for all materials except for the organic pigment with RSDr <5%. The variability between laboratories was higher, with overall RSDR values less than 20% for all materials and measurands, in particular RSDR values less than 10% were obtained for the analysis of four materials (graphene, MWCNT, zinc oxide and one type of titanium dioxide) while higher variability, with RSDR values in the 10% - 20% range, was obtained in the analysis of the organic pigment, the fumed silica and one type of titanium dioxide.

Add To Cart

3.

Interlaboratory comparison on the determination of the Volume Specific Surface Area (VSSA) of manufactured manomaterials. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is leading the development of an OECD Test Guideline (TG) for the determination of the Volume Specific Surface Area (VSSA) of manufactured nanomaterials. For this purpose JRC is collaborating with a group of experts for the preparation, execution and evaluation of preparatory work, including a collaborative study. The final draft TG will be presented for discussion and eventual approval to the OECD Working Group of the National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme. As agreed in the first meeting of the group of experts, the JRC organized and evaluated an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) on the determination of VSSA of nanomaterials by gas adsorption according to the Brunauer, Emmet and Teller (BET) method and gas pycnometry, with participation of seven laboratories. The objective of this ILC was to obtain information on the general applicability domain of these two techniques, and the transferability of the testing protocol. The final aim of the protocol is to calculate the VSSA, which is dependent on the Specific Surface Area (SSA) and skeletal density. This VSSA ILC is the first of its kind and started by developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) and associated reporting file; the SOP is based on the SOPs shared by some laboratories with the JRC and takes into account the existing international standards in this field (ISO 9277:2010 and ISO 12154:2014). The ILC was launched in May 2020 and concluded in November 2020 by presenting the evaluation of the results in a dedicated meeting of the group of experts. It was designed as semi-blind exercise with codes randomly attributed to samples and each of the seven participating laboratories. The seven selected test materials included inorganic (metal oxides – zinc oxide, and two types of titanium oxide) and carbon based materials (graphene and a multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)) as well as one organic pigment. The selected materials also cover various shapes with one, two and three dimensions in the nanoscale (e.g. fibre, platelets and particles) and a range of size distributions and aggregation. The availability of information on the material’s homogeneity was also a selection criteria. Thus, the selected set of test materials included four materials (metal oxides) that are (certified) reference materials for Specific Surface Area, two materials (MWCNT and the organic pigment) that were used in past ILCs within the Horizon 2020 NanoDefine project (http://www.nanodefine.eu/), and one material (graphene) from the JRC Nanomaterials Repository, which was analysed and showed adequate homogeneity according to ISO 13528:2015. The selected test materials were subsampled in the JRC Nanomaterials Repository facility, with the exception of the materials from NanoDefine that were already available in vials of 0.25 grams. Seven laboratories, from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Korea and the JRC-Ispra took part in this study by analysing a number of test materials according to a defined ILC matrix designed to decrease the resources needed per single laboratory. Hence, one of the materials was analysed by all laboratories and the rest of materials analysed by a minimum of three laboratories each. The laboratories had a varying degree of experience with the techniques. Three independent replicates per type of material were analysed according to the distributed SOP. The temperature ramp programme for degassing conditions was derived from the JRC’s thermogravimetric analysis of the test materials, which also illustrates their stability in the relevant range of temperature.. The seven laboratories reported results for the three measurands considered, i.e. (mass) Specific Surface Area, density and VSSA. The instrumentation in the laboratories included both equipment built in-house and commercial equipment. Some of the laboratories did not report triplicate analysis for skeletal density measurements. Therefore, the (preliminary) analysis done by JRC is based on the calculation of VSSA by multiplying the three values of the SSA replicate by the mean density of the relevant test sample. These data have been statistically evaluated by robust statistics according to the principles laid down in ISO 5725-5. The parameters calculated were the robust average or consensus value, the uncertainty of the consensus value, the repeatability and reproducibility and their respective relative standard deviations. The method performance characteristics assessed were the within-laboratory precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr), and the between-laboratory precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR). Overall results show good repeatability with RSDr values less than 2% for all materials except for the organic pigment with RSDr <5%. The variability between laboratories was higher, with overall RSDR values less than 20% for all materials and measurands, in particular RSDR values less than 10% were obtained for the analysis of four materials (graphene, MWCNT, zinc oxide and one type of titanium dioxide) while higher variability, with RSDR values in the 10% - 20% range, was obtained in the analysis of the organic pigment, the fumed silica and one type of titanium dioxide.

Add To Cart

4.

Advanced non-animal models in biomedical research [er] : neurodegenerative diseases. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

Neurodegenerative diseases cause progressive loss of cognitive and motor function and pose major challenges to societies with aging populations. Existing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are limited, and typically only treat the symptoms rather than providing a cure. Although there has been considerable investment in research, based predominantly on animal models, progress in discovering and approving effective treatments has been poor. The JRC’s EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM) launched a study to collect current and emerging non-animal models used in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The overall aim is to provide an inventory and scientific evaluation of innovative (human-based) non-animal models and approaches currently in use for basic and applied research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, more specifically Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. More than 13,000 abstracts were screened to review and catalogue different alternative methods developed or used between 2013 and 2018. The resulting inventory includes 568 models, ranging from biochemical and computational approaches to different types of cell cultures and procedures using ex vivo human material. The inventory supports increased adoption and acceptance of alternative methods in neurodegenerative disease research and provides insights into emerging trends and promising areas for further development.

Add To Cart

5.

Advanced non-animal models in biomedical research : neurodegenerative diseases. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

Neurodegenerative diseases cause progressive loss of cognitive and motor function and pose major challenges to societies with aging populations. Existing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are limited, and typically only treat the symptoms rather than providing a cure. Although there has been considerable investment in research, based predominantly on animal models, progress in discovering and approving effective treatments has been poor. The JRC’s EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM) launched a study to collect current and emerging non-animal models used in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The overall aim is to provide an inventory and scientific evaluation of innovative (human-based) non-animal models and approaches currently in use for basic and applied research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, more specifically Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. More than 13,000 abstracts were screened to review and catalogue different alternative methods developed or used between 2013 and 2018. The resulting inventory includes 568 models, ranging from biochemical and computational approaches to different types of cell cultures and procedures using ex vivo human material. The inventory supports increased adoption and acceptance of alternative methods in neurodegenerative disease research and provides insights into emerging trends and promising areas for further development.

Add To Cart

6.

Advanced non-animal models in biomedical research : neurodegenerative diseases : executive summary. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive loss of cognitive and motor functions. Dementia is the most burdensome symptom and affects over 8 million people in Europe — a figure expected to double in the next 30 years. Apart from the devastating impact on sufferers and their families, approximately €160 billion are spent each year to care for people with dementia across Europe. Existing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are limited and typically only treat the symptoms rather than offer any form of cure.

Add To Cart

7.

Advanced non-animal models in biomedical research [er] : neurodegenerative diseases : executive summary. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive loss of cognitive and motor functions. Dementia is the most burdensome symptom and affects over 8 million people in Europe — a figure expected to double in the next 30 years. Apart from the devastating impact on sufferers and their families, approximately €160 billion are spent each year to care for people with dementia across Europe. Existing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are limited and typically only treat the symptoms rather than offer any form of cure.

Add To Cart

8.

Marine Strategy Framework Directive [er] : review and analysis of EU Member States’ 2018 reports : descriptor 11: underwater noise and energy : assessment (Art.8), good environmental status (Art. 9) and targets (Art. 10). European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

EU Member States (MS) have reported under Article 17 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) for updating Articles 8, 9 and 10 of the Directive, for the last 6-year reporting cycle (2012-2018). This report analyses the information on MSFD Descriptor 11 (Underwater Noise and Energy). Information has been retrieved from 14, 19 and 16 MS for Art.8, Art.9, and Art.10, respectively (out of the 22 EU MS with a sea border). This analysis evaluates the consistency and comparability among MS and marine regions in the consideration of different elements and parameters concerning D11 and in the application of methodological standards for their assessment. The main aim is to highlight gaps and limitations in current assessments, identify items that need further work and provide recommendations for improvement in the next MSFD reporting cycle.

Add To Cart

9.

New genomic techniques [er] : state-of-the-art review. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

This review of the scientific and technological developments on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) is aimed to provide the technical status of NGTs with respect to their diverse mechanisms of action and applicability. It has been compiled in support to the request to the Commission to submit a study in light of the Court of Justice’s judgment in Case C-528/16 regarding the status of novel genomic techniques under Union law (Council Decision (EU) 2019/1904). Since the adoption of Directive 2001/18/EC a variety of NGTs has been developed which are capable to alter the genome of an organism. These techniques aim to modify plant, animal or microbial organisms by accelerating the breeding or development process, and/or by rendering it more precise. They are seen as promising instruments for the agri-food and industrial biotechnology sectors, but they are also offering tremendous innovative potential and technical possibilities for the health sector. This study used a systematic literature survey to identify the major NGTs employed for genome modifications in plants, animals and microorganisms. Many of the NGTs are built on the versatile CRISPR-Cas technology, which can be used in different versions and to which additional functionalities may be added. NGTs may affect only single nucleotide changes or may delete, replace or insert very large sequences and thus a classification of NGTs on the basis of the size of the nuclear fragment affected is not feasible. Here, we have therefore developed a classification system by arranging the NGTs into four groups based on the interaction of their active components with the genome. Furthermore, we give an overview of the possible genome alterations and their likelihood of occurring in nature or through conventional breeding. We also provide the main NGTs that may be involved to generate those genome alterations in the different kingdoms of living organisms (bacteria, fungi, plants and animals). It has to be noted that NGTs are continuously being modified for an improved performance and the field is still evolving in a very dynamic manner. Therefore, this review is providing a non-exhaustive list of NGTs without any implicit legal judgement on their status under current EU legislation.

Add To Cart

10.

Preparation and certification of the uranium oxide micro particle reference material IRMM-2331P [er] : certified for isotope ratios. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

This report describes the certification of IRMM-2331P, a uranium micro particle reference material. This certification project was a collaboration between the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), Germany, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), Unit G.2 in Geel, Belgium. The reference material was produced in compliance with ISO/IEC 17034:2016 [1] and certified in accordance with ISO Guide 35:2006 [2]. Uncertainties of the certified values were estimated in compliance with ISO/IEC Guide 98-3:2008 (the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, GUM) [3]. In order to achieve "fit-for-purpose" isotope ratios for particle analysis, the base material IRMM-2330 was prepared by mixing of two uranium nitrate solutions, which were prepared by conversion of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) materials. Certification of the uranium isotopic composition for the base material IRMM-2330 was performed directly by Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) using the Modified Total Evaporation (MTE) method at JRC-G2, and the results were verified by TIMS/MTE measurements at the IAEA. The production of the uranium particles was performed at the FZJ using a dedicated method based on spray-pyrolysis of droplets generated with a vibrating orifice aerosol generator (VOAG). Verification measurements of the base solution and ‘process control measurements’ on dissolved uranium particles were performed at the FZJ via Multi Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) and the results agreed with the isotopic composition of the base solution IRMM-2330. This agreement permitted the certification of the isotopic composition for the particle reference material IRMM-2331P to be performed using the certified isotopic composition of the base material IRMM-2330. The reference material is intended for the calibration of instruments and methods, quality control purposes, and the assessment of method performance for isotope mass spectrometry on uranium particles. As with any certified reference material, it can also be used for validation studies. The following certified values and expanded uncertainties were assigned for isotope amount ratios, isotope amount fractions, isotope mass fractions, and molar mass for IRMM-2331P.

Add To Cart

11.

Results of an EU wide comparison of quality related characteristics of branded food products. Part 2, Sensory testing [er]. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

The present study is the second part of the testing effort produced by the Joint Research Centre. It analyses the sensory properties of a subset of the same products that formed part of the 2018/19 label comparison samples to find out whether different recipes used for preparing a product lead to noticeable sensory differences. For this purpose, the competent authorities of the EU Member States who participated in the 2018/19 label comparison, were invited to prioritise products that were offered with differences in composition so that they could be included for sensory testing. As a result, 20 branded products, each comprising samples collected in 5-10 EU Member States, were included in the assessment performed by a panel of trained experts. The chosen sensory testing technique is called Structured Napping and was followed by Free Choice Profiling, which is a holistic assessment of sensory properties, whereby the tested samples are grouped according to their degree of similarity For 10 out of the 20 food products evaluated, differences in the sensory properties among the national versions were noticeable. They mostly reflected the related compositional differences. No noticeable differences in the sensory properties were found for the remaining 10 products, though their composition differed to a certain extent. As was the case in the 2018/19 study, the observed differences did not show a geographical trend. Furthermore, the sensory testing revealed that larger differences in composition (i.e. different quantities and kinds of ingredients) led more frequently to noticeable, i.e. significant, differences in the sensory characteristics of different national versions of the same product. Smaller composition variations were mostly not noticeable. It should be noted that the sensory perception of a food product is only one of the elements that may affect consumers’ choice of products. For example, certain consumers may want to avoid certain types of ingredients for various reasons other than those linked to their health (e.g allergens). In particular, consumers increasingly attach importance to the environmental impact of certain ingredients, their geographical origin, mode of manufacturing, chemical compositions, etc.

Add To Cart

12.

Clustering and unsupervised classification in forensics [er] : from theory to practice. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

Nowadays, crime investigators collect an ever increasing amount of potential digital evidence from suspects, continuously increasing the need for techniques of digital forensics. Often, digital evidence will be in the form of mostly unstructured and unlabeled data and seemingly uncorrelated information. Manually sorting out and understanding this type of data constitutes a considerable challenge, sometimes even a psychological burden, or at least a prohibitively time consuming activity. Therefore, forensic research should explore and leverage the capabilities of cluster algorithms and unsupervised machine learning towards creating robust and autonomous analysis tools for criminal investigators faced with this situation. This report presents a first comprehensive study from theory to practice on the specific case of video forensics.

Add To Cart

13.

Non-animal methods in science and regulation : EURL ECVAM status report (2020). European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication	Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.
Summary	This EURL ECVAM report provides information on the progress being made in the development, validation and regulatory application of non-animal methods, as well as on their use and promotion for research purposes, and in education and training programmes.

Add To Cart

14.

Non-animal methods in science and regulation [er] : EURL ECVAM status report (2020). European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication	Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.
Summary	This EURL ECVAM report provides information on the progress being made in the development, validation and regulatory application of non-animal methods, as well as on their use and promotion for research purposes, and in education and training programmes.

Add To Cart

15.

Improved modelling framework for assessing the interactions between the energy, agriculture, forestry and land use change sectors [er] : integrating the CAPRI, LUISA-BEES, CBM and POTEnCIA models. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

This report is an attempt to develop a modelling framework integrating different sectoral stand-alone models used at the JRC for policy impact assessment in the fields of agriculture, forestry, land use change and energy. The proposed quantitative framework should improve the capability of assessing greenhouse gas emissions and removals resulting from complex interactions between the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sectors, and facilitate the analysis of policy scenarios relevant for a sustainable and carbon-neutral European economy. Four models are considered, for which a revised model specification and harmonization of relevant databases and model parameters is needed. The Common Agricultural Policy Regionalized Impact (CAPRI) Modelling System is a widely used large-scale multi-commodity agricultural economic model. The Land Use-based Integrated Sustainability Assessment modelling platform for BioEconomy and Ecosystem Services (LUISA-BEES) is primarily used for the ex-ante evaluation of European policies that have a direct or indirect territorial impact on the agricultural and forestry sectors. The Carbon Budget Model (CBM) is a stand-alone forestry model that simulates forest carbon dynamics. The Policy Oriented Tool for Energy and Climate Change Impact Assessment (POTEnCIA) model depicts a detailed EU energy system combining both techno-economic modules. As a ‘proof of integration’, this report describes the improvement of the CAPRI land use function and harmonization of related database such as to be linked to the output from the LUISA-BEES model. Moreover, forestry area projections and related carbon removals in CAPRI are improved by using direct information from the CBM model. Last but not least, the POTEnCIA model is improved by parameterizing a first generation biofuel supply curve based on CAPRI simulations. In order to test the proposed modelling framework, the report proposes a set of exploratory policy scenarios based on each model’s capabilities: reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, expansion of biofuel mandates and carbon pricing (CAPRI); implementation of spatially explicit sustainability criteria for the plantation of energy crops and afforestation (LUISA-BEES), different levels of forest harvesting (CBM) and strong decarbonisation policies (POTEnCIA).

Add To Cart

16.

Proposal for an EU pollinator monitoring scheme [er]. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2021.

Summary

This report presents the proposal for an EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (EU-PoMS), based on the findings of an expert group of 21 people from 12 European countries. The objectives are to: (i) develop a cost-effective Core Scheme which includes the most relevant taxa, is able to detect changes in the status of pollinators, has EU-wide coverage, and uses standardised sampling methods; (ii) provide a set of additional modules for other taxa and measures beyond the Core Scheme; (iii) propose a general EU indicator to assess status and trends of pollinators, and a Common Agricultural Policy specific indicator to evaluate the impacts of the CAP, and the measures implemented within, on both pollinators and pollination; and, (iv) provide estimated costs for establishing and implementing the Core Scheme, considering: staff, equipment, travel, taxonomic, training, data management and coordination costs.

Add To Cart

17.

Review of literature-based models for skin and eye irritation and corrosion [er]. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2006.

Summary

This report reviews the state-of-the-art of in silico and in vitro methods for assessing dermal and ocular irritation and corrosion. Following a general introduction, the current EU legislation for the classification and labelling of chemicals causing irritation and corrosivity is summarised. Then currently available non-animal approaches are reviewed. The main alternative approaches to assess acute local toxic effects are: a) in silico approaches, including SARs, QSARs and expert systems integrating multiple approaches; and b) in vitro test methods. In this review, emphasis is placed on literature-based (Q)SAR models for skin and eye irritation and corrosion as well as computer-based expert systems.

Add To Cart

18.

Applying the marine modelling framework to estimate primary production in EU marine waters [er]. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2020.

Summary

As in many occasions in marine sciences, it is impossible to know the true value of the primary production rates (PPR) in EU waters. There exist different approaches based on diverse methodologies (water incubation, remote sensing and numerical models) all with flaws and strength. As evaluating the absolute error (difference between true value and estimates) is not possible (because the true value is not known) the only thing we can do is to compare different estimates among themselves and evaluate their relative error. If for a specific region all three different estimates are close and within their variability range, we can be more confident on such estimates (as their sources of error are different). However, the main objective of the present report is to evaluate the usefulness of the MMF estimates to represent PPR levels in EU marine ecosystems. For that reason, we put major emphasis in the validation of MMF estimates against the other two datasets. In general we can say MMF underestimates the range of measured PPR (except for the Mediterranean Sea) but it represent quite well the seasonal dynamics of PPR presented by either satellite estimates (Baltic, North Sea and Mediterranean) or by field estimates (Black Sea). Regarding spatial distributions, both MMF and satellite seems to agree except for the Baltic Sea.

Add To Cart

19.

Modelling for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [er] : overview of JRC models. Annex II, Models contributions to the SDGs. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2020.

Add To Cart

20.

Modelling for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) : overview of JRC models. Annex II, Models contributions to the SDGs. European Commission. Joint Research Centre.

Publication

Luxembourg : Publications Office, 2020.

Add To Cart

Contact information

Personal data protection

Treatment of your data

How do we treat e-mails you send us?

Copyright notice