Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2002-0025-0026
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2002-10-18T04:00Z

About
the
PBT
Profiler
Background
The
PBT
Profiler
was
designed
to
be
an
easy
to
use,
widely
available,
no­
cost
tool
to
screen
chemicals
lacking
experimental
data
in
order
to
identify
pollution
prevention
(P2)
opportunit
ies.
It
is
a
continuation
of
the
Office
of
Pollution
Prevention
and
Toxics
(OPPT,
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency)
Pollution
Prevention
(P2)
Assessment
Framework
­
a
collection
of
screening
models
and
methods
to
help
promote
the
design,
development,
and
application
of
safer
chemicals
and
processes.
The
P2
Framework
uses
computerized
methods
such
as
structure/
activity
relationships
(SARs)
and
standard
scenarios
to
predict
risk
related
data
(physical/
chemical
properties,
bioconcentration,
environmental
fate,
carcinogenicity,
toxicity
to
aquatic
organisms,
worker
and
general
population
exposure,
and
other
information)
on
chemicals
lacking
experimental
data.
The
PBT
Profiler
arose
from
experience
gained
in
the
P2
Framework's
outreach
program,
a
vigorous
set
of
initiatives
by
collaborators
in
the
business,
government,
and
academic
sectors
to
promote
the
voluntary
use
of
these
tools
to
reduce
pollution
and
highlight
the
potential
economic
benefits
of
informed
environmental
decision
making.

Purpose
The
PBT
Profiler
uses
a
subset
of
P2
Assessment
Framework
computer­
based
tools
to
help
identify
chemicals
that
potentially
may
persist,
bioaccumulate,
and
be
toxic
to
aquatic
life,
i.
e.,
PBT
chemicals.
The
release
of
even
small
amounts
of
persistent,
bioaccumulative,
and
toxic
chemicals
to
the
environment
is
of
concern
because
they
can
accumulate
over
time
to
higher
concentrations
and,
therefore,
have
a
higher
potential
to
adversely
impact
human
health
and
the
environment.
The
overwhelming
majority
of
known
chemical
substances
do
not
have
experimental
persistence,
bioaccumulation,
and
toxicity
data
available.
Only
a
small
fraction
of
chemicals
currently
in
commerce,
including
the
2,000
new
chemicals
introduced
each
year,
have
sufficient
data
available
to
perform
a
thorough
evaluation
of
potential
risks.
The
PBT
Profiler
was
designed
to
help
interested
parties
voluntarily
screen
chemicals
for
persistence,
bioaccumulation,
and
aquatic
toxicity
characteristics
when
no
experimental
data
are
available.

Limitations
It
is
important
to
stress
that
the
PBT
Profiler
is
a
screening
level
predictive
tool
and
cannot
be
used
for
all
chemical
substances.
The
methodology
the
PBT
Profiler
uses
has
been
developed
by
government,
academic,
and
private­
sector
researchers
over
the
past
20
years
and
represents
some
of
the
best
techniques
currently
available.
Nevertheless,
the
PBT
Profiler
is
a
tool
that,
like
all
tools,
has
strengths,
weaknesses,
and
limitations.
These
limitat
ions
should
be
considered
before
using
this
model.
For
example,
predicted
data
should
never
be
used
in
place
of
experimental
data.
Additional
model
limitations
are
described
on
this
web
site.
When
properly
applied,
the
PBT
Profiler
can
provide
a
straight­
forward
estimate
of
persistence,
bioaccumulation,
and
aquatic
toxicity
based
on
internationally
accepted
criteria.
This
information
can
help
interested
parties
to
identify
pollution
prevention
initiatives
and
aid
in
their
chemical
selection
processes.

Advantages
Many
chemicals
can
be
profiled
in
one
on­
line
session.
The
PBT
Profiler
provides
three
integrated
levels
of
output:
(1)
easy
to
read
color­
coded
comparisons
of
predicted
values
to
PBT
criteria;
(2)
predicted
values
for
P,
B,
and
T;
and
(3)
descriptions
of
pollution
prevention
considerations
for
each
chemical.
For
rapid
recognition
of
the
estimated
results,
the
"P",
"B",
and
"T"
designators
(corresponding
to
persistence,
bioaccumulation,
and
toxicity,
respectively)
are
shaded
orange
or
red
if
a
chemical
exceeds
the
defined
thresholds
for
each
criteria;
if
the
thresholds
are
not
exceeded,
the
designators
are
shaded
green.
Numeric
estimates
in
a
tabular
format
are
also
provided
for
persistence
(in
air,
water,
soil,
and
sediment),
bioaccumulation,
and
toxicity.
To
put
these
results
in
perspective,
pollution
prevention
considerations
for
each
chemical
profiled
are
also
provided
in
narrative.
More
information
on
interpreting
the
PBT
Profiler
estimates
is
available
on
this
web
site.

Security
and
Privacy
Issues
Throughout
its
development,
concerns
over
protecting
the
privacy
and
security
of
chemical
information
sent
over
the
internet
to
the
PBT
Profiler
have
been
a
high
priority.
Users
of
the
PBT
Profiler
do
so
completely
anonymously
and
no
user
or
chemical
information
is
purposefully
stored,
tracked,
monitored,
or
analyzed.
Additional
notes
on
security
and
anonymity,
including
technical
details,
are
available
for
those
interested.
Depending
on
user
feedback,
future
versions
of
the
PBT
Profiler
may
offer
advanced
options
such
as
the
use
of
encrypted
data
transfer,
or
development
of
a
downloadable,
stand
alone
version
of
the
model
that
can
be
used
off
line.

Developed
by
the
Environmental
Science
Center
under
contract
to
the
Office
of
Pollution
Prevention
and
Toxics
,
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
Computer
Resources
Donated
by
Syracuse
Research
Corporation
Ver
0.
911
BetaR
Restricted
Access
Last
Updated
April
18,
2001