Mixie: Mixtures of substances in the workplace: computer-based tool for evaluating the chemical risk (Calculation of the Rm) Open Exposure to mixtures of chemical substances in the workplace raises many questions. ROHS recommendations (1), other regulatory agencies (2, 3, 4) or organisations, such as INRS and ACGIH® (5, 6), prescribe or indicate to take into account the combined potential impact of substances with similar effects on the same body organs or systems rather than that of either individual compound in the mixture. In this case, their contribution to the overall toxicity should be considered additive... unless it is established otherwise. The last portion of this statement implies that any possible interactions (infra and supra additive) between of substances in a mixture should also be examined. The miXie computer tool integrates the results of a research project on toxicological interactions initially made in the early 2000s by researchers at the University of Montreal in collaboration with IRSST scientists. Disclaimer This utility is a decision support at the disposal of occupational health professionals. It informs them about the additivity or interaction potential between chemical substances in a mixture found in the workplace. It cannot replace the informed judgement of an occupational health professional. Adolf Vyskocil et Daniel Drolet IMPORTANT: Application of the Regulation Respecting Occupational Health and Safety (ROHS) in Quebec Contrary to the utility for the adjustment of PEVs of the ROHS in relation to unusual work schedules, the use of this utility is not mandatory for applying the ROHS. Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the ROHS mentions that ... «Where two or more substances… are present at the work location and where they have similar effects on the same organs of the human body, the effects of these substances are considered to be additive, unless it is established otherwise.» Thus, the sum of the fractions of the mixture, called "Rm" shall be calculated from the individual exposures concentrations of substances and their TWAEV (Time-Weighted Average Exposure Value) or AAEV (Adjusted Average Exposure Value). This provision applies only for TWAEV and AAEV and not for short-term exposure values (STEV) or ceiling values (CV). References Regulation Respecting Occupational Safety and Health. S-2.1, r.13. Éditeur officiel du Québec (update to December 2014). Web link Regulations (Standards - 29 CFR) - Table of Contents https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=Standards&p_id=9991 EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits, HSE, http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/eh40.pdf Guidance on the Interpretation of Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants. Safe Work Australia, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/680/Guidance_Interpretation_Workplace_Exposure_Standards_Airborne_Contaminants%20.pdf Bruno Courtois and Stéphane Gadou, Valeurs limites d'exposition professionnelle aux agents chimiques en France, ED 984, Aide-mémoire technique, INRS, July 2012, http://www.inrs.fr/accueil/produits/mediatheque/doc/publications.html?refINRS=ED%20984 American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®). 2014 TLVs® and BEIs®. ACGIH®, Cincinnati, Ohio, 254 p. https://www.acgih.org/TLV Open From the same projects Scientific Reports Impact of toxicological interactions on the management of multiple contaminant exposure situations R-425 Scientific Publications Database for the toxicological evaluation of mixtures in occupational atmospheresVyskocil A., Drolet D., Viau C., Brodeur J., Tardif R., Gérin M., Baril M., Truchon G., Lapointe G.Source : Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, vol. 18, no 3, 2004, p. 235-242Assessment of the toxicological risk of chemical mixtures in the workplace (Affiche)Vyskocil A., Drolet D., Lemay F., Viau C., Lapointe G., Tardif R., Truchon M., Baril M., Gagnon N., Bégin D., Gérin M., Gagnon F.Source : in Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting and ToxExpo (44th : March 6-10, 2005 : New Orleans, United States), 2005Interactions toxicologiques en milieu de travail : un outil Web d'aide à la décision pour la gestion du risqueDrolet D., Vyskocil A., Lemay F., Viau C., Lapointe G., Tardif R., Truchon G., Baril M., Gagnon N., Bégin D., Gagnon F., Gérin M.Source : in La SST de la pratique à l’intégration…un défi ! : 27e congrès de l’Association québécoise pour l’hygiène, la santé et la sécurité du travail / AQHSST (27e : 17-19 mai, 2005 : St-Hyacinthe, Canada), 2005A computer tool to "vampirize" some occupational health and safety Web sitesDrolet D., St-Jacques A., Simard S.Source : in American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exhibition / AIHCE, (May 21-26, 2005 : Anaheim, California), 2005A web tool for the identification of potential interactive effects of chemical mixturesVyskocil A., Drolet D., Lemay F., Viau C., Lapointe G., Tardif G., Truchon G., Baril M., Gagnon N., Bégin D., Gérin M.Source : in Occupational Hygiene 2005 : British Occupational Hygiene Society Annual Conference (April 19-21, 2005 : Manchester, U.S.A.), 2005, p. 45A Web-based tool for the management of the toxicological risk of chemical mixturesDrolet D., Lemay F., Truchon G., Baril M., Vyskocil A., Viau C., Tardif R., Bégin D., Gérin M., Gagnon N., Lapointe G.Source : in American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exhibition / AIHCE, (May 21-26, 2005 : Anaheim, California), 2005Risk evaluation of multichemical exposures at industrial emergenciesBorska L., Fiala Z., Borsky T., Vyskocil A., Kremlacek J.Source : in International Symposium on Toxicity Assessment, (12th : June 12-17, 2005 : Skiatos Island, Greece), 2005A database for the assessment of potential interactive effects of chemical mixtures at workplaceVyskocil A., Drolet D., Viau C., Lemay F., Lapointe G., Tardif G., Truchon G., Baril M., Gagnon N., Gagnon F., Bégin D., Gérin M.Source : Toxicology Letters, vol. 15, suppl. 1, 2005, p. S75Assessment of the toxicological risk of chemical mixtures at workplaceVyskocil A., Drolet D., Viau C., Lemay F., Lapointe G., Tardif G., Truchon G., Baril M., Gagnon N., Bégin D., Gérin M.Source : Toxicological Sciences, vol. 84, no 1-S, 2005, p. 244A web tool for the identification of potential interactive effects of chemical mixturesVyskocil A., Drolet D., Viau C., Lemay F., Lapointe G., Tardif R., Truchon G., Baril M., Gagnon N., Gagnon F., Bégin D., Gérin M.Source : Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, vol. 4, no 4, 2007, p. 281-287Interactions between chemicals and drugs in the workplace. Is there a cause for concern?Emond C., Lapointe C., Vyskocil A.Source : in Eurotox 2006 : 43rd Congress of The European Societies of Toxicology (September 20-24, 2006 : Dubronik, Croatia), Toxicology Letters, vol. 164S, 2006, no P6-10, p. S125-S126Health risk evaluation of exposure to mixtures of chemicals in occupational airFiala Z., Vyskocil A., Lemay F., Kremlacek J., Borska L., Drolet D., Borsky T., Viau C.Source : in Conference of Czech Society of Toxicology (June 11-13, 2007 : Prague), 2007Health risk evaluation of exposure to mixtures of chemicals in occupational airFiala Z., Vyskocil A., Lemay F., Kremlacek J., Borska L., Drolet D., Borsky T., Viau C.Source : Chemicke Listy, vol. 101, 2007, p. S94-S96Occupational health risk evaluation of exposure to mixtures of chemicalsFiala Z., Vyskocil A., Lemay F., Kremlacek J., Borska L., Drolet D., Borsky T., Viau C.Source : Toxicology Letters, vol. 172, suppl. 1, 2007, p. S115Application of software product "Mixie" for occupational health risk evaluation of exposure to mixtures of chemicals Fiala Z., Vyskocil A., Lemay F., Kremlacek J., Borska L., Drolet D., Borsky T., Viau C.Source : Toxicology Letters, vol. 180, Suppl. 1, 2008, p. S145Impact des interactions toxicologiques sur la gestion des situations d’exposition à des contaminants multiplesVyskocil A., El Majidi N., Lemay F., Viau C., Gagnon F., Tardif R., Drolet D.Source : in "Santé au travail : nouvelles connaissances mobilisables" : rencontes scientifiques de l'Agence française de sécurité sanitaire de l'environnement et du travail / AFSSET, (7 mai, 2008 : Paris, France), 2008Health risk evaluation of exposure to mixture of substances in various workplacesBorsky T., Fiala Z., Vyskocil A., Borska L., Drolet D., Lemay F., Kremlacek J., Krajak V., Ranna D.Source : Toxicology Letters, vol. 196, suppl. 1, 2010, p. S95-S96Biological interactions in mixtures of chemical substancesFiala Z., Krajak V., Kremlacek J., Bednarcik P., Borska L., Fiala O., Vyskocil A., Lemay F., Borsky T.Source : in EUROTOX 2012 : 48th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology / EUROTOX (48th : June 17-20, 2012 : Stockholm, Sweden), Toxicology Letters, vol. 211, 2012, p. S158-S159 Simplified Articles Mixie, au fil des évolutions Vol 35, N° 3 Additional Information Collection: Guides and technical awareness-raising tools Category: Computer-based tool Authors: Daniel DroletFrançois Lemay Research Project: 0099-0730, 0099-8930 Research Field: Chemical and Biological Hazard Prevention Publication no.: UT-001 Version: v. 2014 Language: French, english Online since: January 01, 2005 Format: Application / Website