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--- introduction [2026/04/21 12:33] – [History] boris
+++ introduction [2026/04/21 14:30] (current) – boris
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 While EEA and HEA protection goals are different, EEA and HEA are clearly linked:
-* Fate models used in EEA and HEA for predicting the distribution of chemicals among physical and biological media are essentially dictated by the intrinsic properties of the chemical substances in question,
+  * Fate models used in EEA and HEA for predicting the distribution of chemicals among physical and biological media are essentially dictated by the intrinsic properties of the chemical substances in question,
+  * Species that are assessed in the frame of EEA can also form part of the human food chain (g. fish),
-* Species that are assessed in the frame of EEA can also form part of the human food chain (g. fish),
+  * EEA and HEA are both face common challenges, in particular with regard to increasing scientific complexity and resourcing.
-EEA and HEA are both face common challenges, in particular with regard to increasing scientific complexity and resourcing.
 In the MERLIN-Expo tool, the exposure concept covers both EEA and HEA in order to enable consistent evaluations for several environmental and human targets.
@@ Line 43: / Line 42: @@
 === for Integration, Prediction ===
-The MERLIN-Expo tool provides an integrated approach for ERA and HHRA which allows consistent use of information, with information generated for HEA able to be applied to EEA and vice-versa.
+Unordered List ItemThe MERLIN-Expo tool provides an integrated approach for ERA and HHRA which allows consistent use of information, with information generated for HEA able to be applied to EEA and vice-versa.
-To enable the software to be used by a wide range of end-users (SMEs, industry, regulators, policy makers, academics), it was designed to allow flexible construction of exposure scenarios by linking the models available in the library.
+Unordered List ItemTo enable the software to be used by a wide range of end-users (SMEs, industry, regulators, policy makers, academics), it was designed to allow flexible construction of exposure scenarios by linking the models available in the library.
-The format of the tool is such that it is
+Unordered List ItemThe format of the tool is such that it is
+  * easy to use,
-* easy to use,
+  * easy to understand,
-* easy to understand,
+  * flexible,
-* flexible,
+  * robust and transparent (difficult to abuse).
-* robust and transparent (difficult to abuse).
-In conjunction with CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) a standard framework for documentation has been developed with the aim of ensuring:
+Unordered List ItemIn conjunction with CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) a standard framework for documentation has been developed with the aim of ensuring:
+  * the rigorous formulation of exposure models,
-* the rigorous formulation of exposure models,
+  * comparability between the different exposure models,
-* comparability between the different exposure models,
+  * transparency and ease of understanding for the tool’s users.
-* transparency and ease of understanding for the tool’s users.
 Alerts are included in the tool to prevent irrelevant or nonsensical calculations (‘difficult-to-abuse’ criteria).
@@ Line 85: / Line 82: @@
 This software, the 2-FUN tool, resulted to be an innovative and useful instrument for the assessment of human health risks from exposure to chemicals. However, the 2-FUN tool was a 'prototype' and not a 'standardised' software.
-The 4FUN project took the results from the 2-FUN project to the market following thorough standardization processes and dissemination activities. The outcome is the tool you are reading about now: MERLIN-Expo.
+The 4FUN project took the results from the 2-FUN project to the market following thorough standardization processes and dissemination activities. The outcome was the first version of the tool you are reading about now: MERLIN-Expo.
-In the frame of the [[https://www.life-vermeer.eu/project-results/achieved-results/#details-merlin|LIFE-VERMEER project]], MERLIN-Expo was upgraded as a platform for risk assessment and substitution of risky substance by adding the following features to the software:
-  * Connection to external parameter database.
+In the frame of the [[https://www.life-vermeer.eu/project-results/achieved-results/#details-merlin|LIFE-VERMEER project]], MERLIN-Expo was upgraded as a platform for risk assessment and substitution of risky substance, introducing the following key changes:
-  * Integration with VEGA Platform to allow calculation of substance-specific parameters using QSAR models offered by VEGA.
-  * New Food Contact Material (FMC) model. This model allows to estimate the migration of chemicals from FCM and corresponds to the specifications that were identified for the FCM case study.
-  * New predefined scenario of a great river and fish. This scenario describes the fate of a chemical discharged in a river from a point source (e.g. industry, sewage treatment plant). It also describes the potential bioaccumulation of the targeted chemical in generic species of phytoplankton; invertebrates; pelagic herbivorous fish; benthic herbivorous fish; and carnivorous fish.
-  * The MERLIN-Expo models have been updated with tags for parameters whose values can be computed using QSAR models.
-  * In addition to existing functionalities for conducting uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, a link has been created to an external tool developed by AFRY (Facilia Babar Tool) which allows to generate parametric uncertainty through a set of Bayesian approaches.
-  * A new feature has been added in the Results screen that allows generating ‘Spider Web Charts’ to compare results of the simulation by the substances or scenarios.
+  * Integration with [[https://www.vegahub.eu/|VEGA Platform]] to allow calculation of substance-specific parameters using QSAR models offered by VEGA.
+  * The [[vermeer_tools|VERMEER tools]] were embedded in the tool as model templates in form of predefined scenarios that correspond to the specifications that were identified for the case studies in VERMEER project.