Newcastle University

The EDETOX Program was a three-year research program funded by:

Framework V,
European Union,
Quality of Life,
Environment and Health Key Action Funding.
Project Number: QLKA-2000-00196

EDETOX began on the 1st January 2001 and the final report was submitted in 2005. The database continues to  be freely available.

Our key objectives were:

• To investigate, in a group of centres in Europe, the usefulness of in vitro models to deliver relevant data on percutaneous penetration of chemicals. The reliability and interlaboratory variation will be assessed in order to establish standards for acceptability.
• To generate data that will improve knowledge of the dermal absorption process for a series of important environmental and occupational contaminants which have health effects in man and for which percutaneous penetration may play an important role in the total internal exposure.
• To use in vitro and in vivo experimental data generated in the project to evaluate and extend existing QSAR (quantitative structure activity relationship) and PBPK (physiologically-based pharmacokinetic) models so that they can be used for the prediction of the rates of absorption and the subsequent disposition of dermal penetrants.
• Overall to develop validated in vitro experimental strategies for the quantitative measurement of the dermal absorption of chemicals and corresponding predictive computational models so that the use of animal testing will be greatly reduced in these risk assessment procedures.
• To provide relevant quantitative data which can be used directly in the risk assessment for dermal exposure, including information that will allow regulatory authorities to progress towards assignment of quantitative skin notations for potentially hazardous chemicals.

Current Position:

The project is complete and report submitted to  the EU. The report summary and list of publications are available for down loading.

EDETOX Report

For further details and queries please contact the project Coordinator Prof Faith M Williams (faith.williams@newcastle.ac.uk) or Dr Simon Wilkinson (simon.wilkinson@newcastle.ac.uk)

Database: The database designed by Sarah Soyei (2001-3) is freely available for use at this site. The site updated in 2016   is now supported by a NIHR research grant to the Medical Toxicology Centre.