The category approach used in the Toolbox:
- Focuses on intrinsic properties of chemicals (mechanism or mode of action, (eco-)toxicological effects).
- Allows for entire categories of chemicals to be assessed when only a few members are tested, saving costs and the need for testing on animals.
- Enables robust hazard assessment through mechanistic comparisons without testing.
The QSAR Toolbox is a software intended to be used by governments, the chemical industry and other stakeholders to fill gaps in (eco-)toxicity data needed for assessing the hazards of chemicals. The Toolbox incorporates information and tools from various sources into a logical workflow. Grouping chemicals into chemical categories is crucial to this workflow.
More about (Q)SARs