EPA software for evaluating chemicals under review

Scientific advisers are reviewing the software EPA uses to evaluate commercial chemicals, the agency announced on Feb. 1. EPA uses a group of computer models called the Estimation Program Interface (EPI) Suite to estimate physical and chemical properties and the environmental fate of a substance based on its structure. These programs, developed by EPA and Syracuse Research Corp., calculate properties such as the octanol-water partition coefficient, Henry's law constant, and aerobic biodegradability. The agency routinely uses the EPI Suite to evaluate chemicals before they are manufactured commercially and to predict environmental properties of substances already on the market. In a series of meetings from late February to early April, a panel of EPA's Science Advisory Board will examine the comprehensiveness of the software and the science supporting it. The advisers will also report to the agency on appropriate uses of EPI Suite. More information is available at www.epa.gov/science1/panels/epi_suite_re view_panel.htm.