The current release version of USEtox (version 1.1) provide global averages only. To apply this version to specific geographical regions, landscape (e.g. volume) and exposure (e.g. food consumption in sheet "human exposure") data and if desired some fate processes (e.g. deposition velocity in sheet "fate") can be adjusted to reflect more regionalized conditions. In the next release (USEtox 2.0, to be released early 2015), in addition to the global average, regionalized values will be provided at the continental and sub-continental scale.
Midpoint cancer and non-cancer characterization factors for human toxicity as currently implemented in USEtox version 1.01 can be aggregated into a unit based on disability-adjusted life years (DALY) to arrive at the endpoint level for human health.
Midpoint freshwater ecotoxicity characterization factors as currently implemented in USEtox version 1.01 can be transformed into a unit based on potentially affected fraction of species (PDF) to arrive at the endpoint level for ecosystem quality.
For comparing both human and freshwater ecosystem toxicity characterization factors at midpoint and/or endpoint level, a normalization needs to be performed as described in e.g. the ILCD handbook (e.g. section 8.3 of the General guide for Life Cycle Assessment).
I refer to two previous questions of mine and the answers: I have further questions on adopting the model to a specific country and the field data that are needed to adjust the model. In addition to the ones mentioned in your answers, what data are needed to be gathered in order to adjust the model to specific area?
"Thank you for your question!
Calculating USEtox fate factors for metals requires knowledge of 'effective' solids-water partition coefficients (Kd's and BCF's, i.e. concentration ratios) for sums of all dissolved species in water and all particulate species in equilibrium with water, which one may obtain from field measurements, or by deduction from chemical speciation calculus (for instance via WHAM).
Thank you for your question.
The current release version of USEtox (version 1.1) provide global averages only. To apply this version to specific geographical regions, landscape (e.g. volume) and exposure (e.g. food consumption in sheet "human exposure") data and if desired some fate processes (e.g. deposition velocity in sheet "fate") can be adjusted to reflect more regionalized conditions. In the next release (USEtox 2.0, to be released early 2015), in addition to the global average, regionalized values will be provided at the continental and sub-continental scale."
Thank you for your question, which belongs to the forum topic "Application of USEtox".
To adjust landscape data toward user-defined values, parameters in the landscape data, exposure and fate sheets of the USEtox model can be adjusted according to the data that a user wishes to adjust - this might differ from user to user as some user simply might want to adjust compartment dimensions and related population data, while another user might want to also adjust some fate processes. However, it is the responsibility of the user to introduce meaningful values as many parameters related to environmental fate (e.g. residence times) are a function of landscape data (e.g. compartment volumes).
More generally, we recommend to always use the default USEtox landscape parameter values and apply user-specific landscape data only as sensitivity study, as all fate processes are designed as global/continental average values. This means that adjusting landscape data toward more specific, real landscapes or regions does not (necessarily) lead to better representativeness of actual landscapes or regions, but might in fact lead to biased environmental fate behavior if the adjusted data are not properly evaluated.
In the next release version, USEtox will provide - in addition to the default set of landscape data - various continental and sub-continental sets of parameterized and evaluated landscape data to accomodate user requirements. However, also these data are recommended to be only used to test the sensitivity toward the default data set.
We are currently evaluating in detail all differences between factos from USEtox 2.0 (this is the latest release version as of 31-August-2015) and USEtox 1.01. In a related scientific peer-reviewed publication that we aim at submitting before end of 2015, we will fully describe USEtox 2.0 and differences to USEtox 1.01.
This publication wll finally serve as reference publication for USEtox 2.0.
Thank you for your question.
The current release version of USEtox (version 1.1) provide global averages only. To apply this version to specific geographical regions, landscape (e.g. volume) and exposure (e.g. food consumption in sheet "human exposure") data and if desired some fate processes (e.g. deposition velocity in sheet "fate") can be adjusted to reflect more regionalized conditions. In the next release (USEtox 2.0, to be released early 2015), in addition to the global average, regionalized values will be provided at the continental and sub-continental scale.
Can we use a weighting method in USEtox to integrate the cancer, noncancer and ecotoxicity potentials to a single end point?
Thanks!
Thank you for your question.
Midpoint cancer and non-cancer characterization factors for human toxicity as currently implemented in USEtox version 1.01 can be aggregated into a unit based on disability-adjusted life years (DALY) to arrive at the endpoint level for human health.
Midpoint freshwater ecotoxicity characterization factors as currently implemented in USEtox version 1.01 can be transformed into a unit based on potentially affected fraction of species (PDF) to arrive at the endpoint level for ecosystem quality.
For comparing both human and freshwater ecosystem toxicity characterization factors at midpoint and/or endpoint level, a normalization needs to be performed as described in e.g. the ILCD handbook (e.g. section 8.3 of the General guide for Life Cycle Assessment).
Thank you for your reply.. It helps a lot.
Looking forward to my research using USEtox
I refer to two previous questions of mine and the answers: I have further questions on adopting the model to a specific country and the field data that are needed to adjust the model. In addition to the ones mentioned in your answers, what data are needed to be gathered in order to adjust the model to specific area?
"Thank you for your question!
Calculating USEtox fate factors for metals requires knowledge of 'effective' solids-water partition coefficients (Kd's and BCF's, i.e. concentration ratios) for sums of all dissolved species in water and all particulate species in equilibrium with water, which one may obtain from field measurements, or by deduction from chemical speciation calculus (for instance via WHAM).
Thank you for your question.
The current release version of USEtox (version 1.1) provide global averages only. To apply this version to specific geographical regions, landscape (e.g. volume) and exposure (e.g. food consumption in sheet "human exposure") data and if desired some fate processes (e.g. deposition velocity in sheet "fate") can be adjusted to reflect more regionalized conditions. In the next release (USEtox 2.0, to be released early 2015), in addition to the global average, regionalized values will be provided at the continental and sub-continental scale."
Thank you for your question, which belongs to the forum topic "Application of USEtox".
To adjust landscape data toward user-defined values, parameters in the landscape data, exposure and fate sheets of the USEtox model can be adjusted according to the data that a user wishes to adjust - this might differ from user to user as some user simply might want to adjust compartment dimensions and related population data, while another user might want to also adjust some fate processes. However, it is the responsibility of the user to introduce meaningful values as many parameters related to environmental fate (e.g. residence times) are a function of landscape data (e.g. compartment volumes).
More generally, we recommend to always use the default USEtox landscape parameter values and apply user-specific landscape data only as sensitivity study, as all fate processes are designed as global/continental average values. This means that adjusting landscape data toward more specific, real landscapes or regions does not (necessarily) lead to better representativeness of actual landscapes or regions, but might in fact lead to biased environmental fate behavior if the adjusted data are not properly evaluated.
In the next release version, USEtox will provide - in addition to the default set of landscape data - various continental and sub-continental sets of parameterized and evaluated landscape data to accomodate user requirements. However, also these data are recommended to be only used to test the sensitivity toward the default data set.
In terms of the USEtox 2.0, will there be a published journal paper that fully describes the model? I need to cite it on my paper.
We are currently evaluating in detail all differences between factos from USEtox 2.0 (this is the latest release version as of 31-August-2015) and USEtox 1.01. In a related scientific peer-reviewed publication that we aim at submitting before end of 2015, we will fully describe USEtox 2.0 and differences to USEtox 1.01.
This publication wll finally serve as reference publication for USEtox 2.0.