Exponential toxicology

Area of Science:

• Environmental Toxicology
• Computational Toxicology
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• The global chemical inventory has rapidly expanded, with over 350,000 distinct substances registered by 2019.
• Exposure to complex chemical mixtures, transformation products, and engineered materials is increasing at an unprecedented rate.
• Traditional toxicology, relying on animal-based assays, faces a structural impossibility to keep pace with this exponential growth in chemical exposures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the mismatch between exponential chemical exposure and linear toxicological testing capabilities.
• To advocate for a paradigm shift towards exponential testing strategies in toxicology.
• To explore the feasibility of building an exponential toxicology framework without compromising scientific rigor.

Main Methods:

• Review of traditional toxicology limitations and the exponential growth of chemical exposures.
• Examination of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), including in vitro screening, computational toxicology, and microphysiological systems.
• Application of cognitive science and social acceleration theories to understand the challenges of adopting exponential approaches.

Main Results:

• Traditional toxicology methods are inherently limited in their ability to scale with the exponential increase in chemical exposures.
• New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are developing on exponential growth curves, offering a viable alternative.
• The adoption of exponential testing requires a fundamental shift in how the field thinks and plans.

Conclusions:

• An exponential response in toxicological testing is necessary to effectively manage risks from the expanding chemical universe.
• The integration of NAMs is crucial for achieving exponential testing capabilities.
• Future toxicology must embrace exponential strategies to ensure human and ecosystem safety in the face of escalating chemical exposures.