ABSTRACT
In the Netherlands, probit functions are used in a quantitative risk analysis (QRA) to predict the number of acute fatalities caused by an accidental release of toxic substances (RIVM 2009). A probit function describes the lethality rate as a function of any given combination of the exposure concentration and the duration of exposure for a specific substance. Human probit functions are derived from acute inhalation toxicity data obtained in animals. These toxicity data are also used in other frameworks, including (1) the determination of intervention values for dangerous substances, (2) the classification of substances for transport QRAs, and (3) the determination of threshold values for the selection of plants relevant to a QRA.
