RESULTS
This page is regularly updated with new results, and deliverables that are periodically produced within the project.The Deliverables are available on the home page (http://4funproject.eu/en/home/) in the Important Documents section. At present, you can find the following reports:
- Deliverable 2.1 - List of exposure models to be included in the SWOT analysis
- Deliverable 2.2 - List of criteria to be used for SWOT analysis
- Deliverable 2.2 - Stakeholder consultations
- Deliverable 2.4 - SWOT analysis of different exposure models
- Deliverable 2.6 - Key findings from previous success stories
- Deliverable 3.1 - Updated 2-FUN library of models
- Deliverable 4.1 - Standard framework for large exposure models
- Deliverable 4.2 - Report of the verification of models
- Deliverable 4.4 - Standard documentation describing the 2-FUN tool: model documentation based on defined standard protocol
- Deliverable 5.1 - Report on case study 1
- Deliverable 5.2 - Report on case study 2
- Deliverable 5.3 - Report on case study 3
- Deliverable 6.2 - 4FUN Website
- Deliverable 6.3 - Web-based Platform
- Deliverable 6.4 - Report on establishment of 4FUN Observatory
- Deliverable 6.5 - Training material for 4FUN Schools
- Deliverable 6.6 - 4FUN School I - IV
- Deliverable 6.7 - Report on involvement of other networks
LESSONS LEARNED FROM CASE STUDIES
One of the objectives of the 4FUN project was to increase the confidence in the applicability of the MERLIN-Expo tool through targeted demonstration activities based on complex realistic case studies.
Reliability of the MERLIN-Expo predictions
One of the major achievements of the case studies was to assess the reliability of the predictions obtained by MERLIN-Expo. In most cases, a factor less than 3 was observed between the model predictions and the actual experimental data (see case studies 1 and 3, for example). Such an agreement between predictions and measurement is generally judged acceptable in a purely predictive framework. Although the number of case studies is relatively low to generalize these results, our testing approach gives a quite reasonable confidence in MERLIN-Expo predictions. Unsurprisingly, MERLIN-Expo performed best when model parameters were set to values specific to the sites and the populations (see case study 1), allowing to tailor the assessment to local conditions.
Flexibility in building complex exposure scenarios
One of the main features of MERLIN-Expo is its ability to build realistic site-specific scenarios in an intuitive fashion. MERLIN-Expo was tested on three case studies exhibiting very different characteristics in order to cover a wide range of substances, contamination sources, environmental policy endpoints, and spatial/temporal scales. The case studies offered the opportunity to explore the applicability of the tool at several levels of complexity, which were all effectively handled with MERLIN-Expo. Moreover, MERLIN-Expo can be used to combine ecological and human exposure assessment using a single tool (see case study 2), supporting the integrated evaluation of chemical fate and effects, also for long-term scenarios.
Incorporating uncertainty in risk assessment
All the case studies performed probabilistic analyses to study the impact of uncertainty and variability in parameter values on the final outputs. The probabilistic simulation tools implemented in MERLIN-Expo were used together with the default probability density functions (pre-)defined for model parameters. These analyses produced a mean prediction associated to an interval of confidence for the model outcomes of interest. In some cases (e.g., in case study 3), we showed that the experimental data were encompassed in the predicted interval of confidence at 95%, a result that further supports the accuracy of the tool. Sensitivity analyses were also run to identify and rank the key input parameters of the exposure, and also to assess the relative contribution of the different sources, pathways, and routes of exposure on the overall modelled exposure (e.g., in case study 1).
The availability of different options for uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in MERLIN-Expo is targeted to a wide range of end-users and should facilitate the incorporation of such issues in future decision making. Such analyses then provide valuable information for both risk assessors and decision-makers by supporting decisions to conduct additional analyses or prioritise resource allocations for additional research and/or data collection efforts.
SEARCH
NEWS & EVENTS
Free webinar: MERLIN-Expo in the context of regulations and other models
Join us for a free webinar on May 2, 2016 at 11:00 AM CET. Register now! ...
27/APR/2016
Modelling Training Course in Newcastle UK 12-13 September 2016
The MERLIN-Expo group is organising a summer training session to support users and potential users of MERLIN-Expo to get the most out ...
22/APR/2016
New MERLIN-Expo webinar - Building a food web
Join us for a free webinar on Feb 29, 2016 at 11:00 AM CET. Register now! ...
29/FEB/2016
The meeting of the International Society of Exposure Sciences to be held in Utrecht from 9-13 Oct...
21/FEB/2016
New MERLIN-Expo webinar - Linking models together: a practical guide
Join us for a free webinar on Feb 01, 2016 at 11:00 AM CET. Register now!...
01/FEB/2016
Workshop: NEW TRENDS IN CHEMICAL EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT, Piacenza, Italy (18 January 2016)
Workshop: NEW TRENDS IN CHEMICAL EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT, Piacenza, Italy (18 January 2016) Aeiforia srl.,...
23/DEC/2015
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Workshop in Barcelona, Spain (22 September 2015)
On 22 September 2015, the day before the ...
22/SEP/2015
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Workshop in Barcelona, Spain (22 September 2015)
On 22 September 2015, the day before the ...
22/SEP/2015
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Online course to learn how to use MERLIN-Expo
The online course on "The Future of Environmental and Human Health Exposure Modelling ...
21/SEP/2015
CEN Workshop Agreement - Standard documentation of chemical exposure models
Today models are intensively used to predict exposure of the environment or of humans to chemicals. However, the underlying h...
21/SEP/2015
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The new MERLIN-Expo tool represents the state-of-the-art modelling framework for chem...
17/SEP/2015
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First GLOBAQUA Conference in Freising, Germany (11-12 January 2016)
The GLOBAQUA project organizes an International Conference that will be held in Freising, Germany, on 11-12 Janua...
17/AUG/2015
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Summer School, Cremona, Italy (29 June - 3 July 2015)
A summer school was held in Cremona (Italy), from 29th June to 3rd July 2015. It was aimed at junior modellers, research...
31/JUL/2015
4FUN Summer School in the newspaper "La Provincia di Cremona"
The 4FUN Summer School held in Cremona from 29 June to 3 July 2015 appeared in the daily newspaper "La Provincia di Cremona". The article...
13/JUL/2015
Summer school, Cremona, Italy (29 June - 3 July 2015)
The summer school is aimed at junior modellers, research students, post-docs and anyone in the early stages of their career. It will be run as...
29/JUN/2015
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4FUN presented at the 2nd GLOBAQUA Annual Progress Meeting
On 15 June 2015 a presentation about the interactions between 4FUN and GLOBAQUA was given at the 2nd GLOBAQUA annual progress me...
15/JUN/2015
4FUN presented at the GLOBAQUA technical workshop
On 7 May 2015 a presentation about “MERLIN-EXPO program on Fate and Risk assessment of Pollutants” was given the GLOBAQUA technical meeting (...
07/MAY/2015
Workshop at SETAC, Barcelona (3 May 2015)
A full day workshop will be run as a SETAC short course in Barcelona on the 3rd of May (...
03/MAY/2015
4FUN workshop in Belgrade, Serbia
A 2-day day workshop was run in Belgrade on the 20th and 21st April. The workshop was aimed at environmental scientists, government ministries and...
21/APR/2015
Workshop in Belgrade, Serbia (20 - 21 April 2015)
Visit http://software.4funproject.eu/learn/training-events/ to register your int...
20/APR/2015
4FUN regulatory workshop, Paris, France
A 2-day regulatory workshop was held on the 26th and 27th of March 2015, aimed at regulators and regulatory specialists in or...
27/MAR/2015
Workshop for regulators (26-27 March 2015)
A 2-day workshop on the 26th and 27th of March 2015, to be held in Paris with free-of-charge attendance, will provide an introducti...
26/MAR/2015
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Workshop for regulators (26-27 March 2015)
A 2-day workshop on the 26th and 27th of March 2015, to be held in Paris with free-of-charge attendance, will provide an introduction...
21/JAN/2015
PDF
Workshop at SETAC, Barcelona (3 May 2015)
A full day workshop will be run as a SETAC short course in Barcelona on the 3rd of May (...
21/JAN/2015
Summer school, Cremona, Italy (29 June - 3 July 2015)
The summer school is aimed at junior modellers, research students, post-docs and anyone in the early stages of their career. It will be run as p...
21/JAN/2015
PDF
2nd press release via CORDIS Wire
A press release entitled "New CEN Workshop "Merlin-Expo" in Brussels on July 2" was published via CORDIS Wire. It presents the Kick-O...
25/JUL/2014
22nd Annual European Chemicals Policy & Risk Management (9-10 September 2014, Barcelona, Spain)
The 22nd Annual European Chemicals Policy & Risk Management aims to help you Evaluate technical an...
18/JUL/2014
ICCA-LRI & JRC Workshop (17-18 June 2014, Lugano, Switzerland)
What Is Safe? Integrating Multi-Disciplinary Approaches for Decision Making about the Human Health and Environmental ...
21/MAY/2014
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International Symposium on Environment and Health (4-5 July 2014, Beijing, China)
To promote scientific information interchange between researchers, engineers, students and practitioners working in Ch...
14/MAY/2014
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ISES 24th Annual Meeting (12-16 October 2014, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA)
The International Society of Exposure Science organizes its 24th Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio. This year's theme is ...
14/MAY/2014
3rd Journal Conference on Environmental Science and Development (4-5 July 2014, Nottingham, UK)
2014 3rd Journal Conference on Environmental Science and Development (JCESD 2014 3rd) aims to provide ...
14/MAY/2014
1st press release via CORDIS Wire
A press release entitled "Assessing human exposure to chemicals" was published via CORDIS Wire. It describes the 4FUN project and the M...
09/MAY/2014
This congress will bring together the world’s leading experts to share recent discoveries...
02/APR/2014
During the 4FUN 3rd Consortium Meeting, which took place in Barcelona on 3rd-5th February 2014, a decision was made on the name of the standardised software. It was decide...
02/APR/2014
SETAC Europe 24th Annual Meeting (11-15 May 2014, Basel, Switzerland)
This international conference brings together experts from academia, government and industry. The conference will focus on the mos...
02/APR/2014
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The 3rd Consortium Meeting was held in Barcelona (Spain), on 3rd – 5th February 2014.
11/FEB/2014
Conference of ISEE, ISES and ISIAQ (19 – 23 August 2013, Basel, Switzerland)
The ISEE (International Society for Environmental Epidemiology), ISES (International Society of Exposure Science), and the...
19/AUG/2013
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The 2nd Consortium Meeting took place in Milan (Italy), on 8th-10th July 2013.
11/JUL/2013
22nd SRA Europe Conference 2013 (17 -19 June 2013, Trondheim, Norway)
The special theme of this years' conference is «Safe societies – coping ...
17/JUN/2013
PDF
23rd SETAC Europe Annual Meeting (12-16 May 2013, Glasgow, UK)
This international conference brings together experts from government, industry, consultancy, and a...
18/MAR/2013
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Pesticide Behaviour in Soils, Water and Air (2-4 September 2013, York, UK)
The conference will present the latest research into the env...
18/MAR/2013
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The 4FUN project was launched during the kick-off meeting, which was held in Brussels (Belgium), on the 11th – 12th November 2012. The participants ga...
11/DEC/2012
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 308440.