Photo: Institute of Evolution and Ecology (EvE)/University of Tübingen

AI helps assess environmental risks from chemicals

An interdisciplinary research team led by Professor Heinz Köhler from the Institute of Evolution and Ecology at the University of Tübingen used a newly-developed AI tool to improve testing of bioaccumulation in fish.

The bioconcentration factor, BCF for short, is a standard measure for determining the bioaccumulation of chemicals in the environment. It shows the concentration of chemical substances in fish as compared to the surrounding water. The research team found that the BCF is not a constant for each specific substance, but varies depending on the particular concentration used in the test. 

The team developed a program, deep learning, that can predict experimental data on the bioconcentration factor with 90 percent certainty. This computer-based method offers a massive potential for reducing animal testing.

The results of this research were published in December with TerraChem co-funding. Read more about the implications of this research on the website of the University of Tübingen.