Skip to main content

SCRAM: A scoring and ranking system for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances for the North American Great Lakes

Part I: Structure of the scoring and ranking system Part II: Bioaccumulation potential and persistence Part III: Acute and subchronic or chronic toxicity Part IV: Results from representative chemicals, sensitivity analysis, and discriminatory power Part IV: Structure of the scoring and ranking system

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 7, pages 52–61 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Hundreds of chemical contaminants have been identified in the Great Lakes System of North America. Depending on the agency or organization, various subset lists of these contaminants have been identified as chemicals of potential concern. However, there is no agreement on the method that should be used to make management decisions. Except for consensus on approximately 40 chemicals that most North American agencies agree can cause deleterious effects if released into the environment, no agreement has been reached regarding the priority that contaminants should receive for further action. That leaves hundreds of chemicals that have been, are being, or potentially could be released into the environment that have not been evaluated yet. A profile for potential chemicals of concern is generally thought to include persistence in the environment, potential to bioaccumulate, and ability to cause toxic effects at environmentally relevant concentrations. Except for the International Joint Commission’s definition of persistence (> 8 weeks residence time in air, water, soil or sediment), there is little concurrence about what defines these characteristics. For instance, the State of Michigan currently has no established definitions or profiles of persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic substances. Furthermore, there is no standard process to rank chemicals relative to these characteristics. The Chemical Scoring and Ranking Assessment Model (SCRAM) has been developed to provide a process to rank-order chemicals based on these characteristics. The SCRAM system was developed primarily for use in the Great Lakes region of North America and particularly in Michigan, but it is not site-specific. Use of this system may assist in pollution prevention activities and other future chemical control efforts, allowing attention to be focused first on those chemicals likely to present the greatest hazard.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Anon. (1995): Criteria setting: Compilation of procedures and effect-based criteria used in various countries. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment. BKH Consulting Engineers, Delft, The Netherlands

  • Davis, G.A.; Swanson, M.; Jones, S. (1994): Comparative evaluation of chemical scoring and ranking methodologies. The University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies, EPA Order No. 3N-3545-NAEX

  • Fiedler, H.; Hutzinger, O.; Giesy, J.P. (1990): Utility of the QSAR modeling system for predicting the toxicity of substances on the European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemicals. Toxicol. Environ. Chem. 28, 167–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foran, J.A.; Glenn, B.S. (1993): Criteria to identify chemical candidates for sunsetting in the Great Lakes Basin. The George Washington University, Environmental Health and Policy Program, Department of Health Care Sciences, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, B.G. (1995): Priority setting using the IPS Method: From IUCLID to IPS ranking. DRAFT 2/10/95

  • Hansen, B.G.; van Haelst, A.G.; van Leeuwen, K.; van der Zandt, P. (1999) Priority setting for existing chemicals: European Union risk ranking method. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 18(4), 772–779

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hermens, J.; Konemann, H.; Leewangh, P.; Musch, A. (1985): Quantitative structure-activity relationships in aquatic toxicity studies of chemicals and complex mixtures of chemicals. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 4, 273–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hertel, R.F. (1996): Outline on risk assessment programme of existing substances in the European Union. Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2, 93–96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klöpffer, W. (1994a): Environmental hazard-assessment of chemicals and products. Part I: General assessment principles. Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 1(1), 47–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klöpffer, W. (1994b): Environmental hazard-assessment of chemicals and products. Part II: Persistence and degradability of organic chemicals. Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 1(2), 107–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klöpffer, W. (1994c): Environmental hazard-assessment of chemicals and products. Part III: The limits to single compound assessment. Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 1(3), 179–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klöpffer, W. (1994d): Environmental hazard-assessment of chemicals and products. Part IV: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 1(4), 271–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, D. (1991): Multimedia environmental models: The fugacity approach. Lewis, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 257

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, D.; Guardo, A.D.; Paterson, S.; Kicsi, G.; Cowan, C.E. (1996): Assessing the fate of new and existing chemicals: A five-stage process. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 15, 1618–1626

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, D.; DiGuardo, A.; Paterson, S.; Cowan, C.E. (1997): Evaluating the environmental fate of a variety of types of chemicals using the EQC model. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 15, 1627–1637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MDNR (1987): Michigan Critical Materials Register criteria and support document. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Surface Water Quality Division, Lansing, MI

    Google Scholar 

  • Meek, B. (1996): Assessments of priority substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Environ. Toxic. Pharmacol. 2, 111–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • OMOE (1990): Ontario MOE scoring system. Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Hazardous Contaminants Coordination Branch. Toronto, Ontario

  • Smrchek, J.C.; Zeeman, M. (1997): Assessing risks to ecological systems from chemicals. Chapter 3, Pages 24–90. In: Calow, P. (Ed.): Handbook of environmental risk assessment and management. Blackwell Sciences, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, E.M.; Snyder, S.A.; Giesy, J.P.; Blonde, S.A.; Hurlburt, G.K.; Summer, C.L.; Mitchell, R.R.; Bush, D.M. (1999a): SCRAM: A scoring and ranking system for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances for the North American Great Lakes. Part II. Bioaccumulation potential and persistence. ESPR — Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. Online Publication (Online First): October 29th, 1999. Print Publication: ESPR 7 (2) 2000

  • Snyder, E.M.; Snyder, S.A.; Giesy, J.P.; Blonde, S.A.; Hurlburt, G.K.; Summer, C.L.; Mitchell, R.R.; Bush, D.M. (1999b): SCRAM: A scoring and ranking system for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances for the North American Great Lakes. Part III. Acute and subchronic or chronic toxicity. ESPR — Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. Online Publication (Online First): October 29th, 1999. Print Publication: ESPR 7 (3) 2000

  • Snyder, E.M.; Snyder, S.A.; Giesy, J.P.; Blonde, S.A.; Hurlburt, G.K.; Summer, C.L.; Mitchell, R.R.; Bush, D.M. (1999c): SCRAM: A scoring and ranking system for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances for the North American Great Lakes. Part IV. Results from representative chemicals, sensitivity analysis, and discriminatory power. ESPR — Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. Online Publication (Online First): October 29th, 1999. Print Publication: ESPR 7 (4) 2000

  • Swanson, M.B.; Davis, G.A.; Kinkaid, L.E.; Schultz, T.W.; Bartmess, J.E.; Jones, S.L.; George, E.L. (1997): A screening method for ranking and scoring chemicals with potential human health and environmental impacts. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 16, 371–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson, M.B.; Socha, A.C. (Eds.) (1997): Chemical ranking and scoring: Guidelines for relative assessments of chemicals. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, pp. 154

    Google Scholar 

  • Tosato, M.L.; Vigano, L.; Skagerberg, B.; Clementi, S. (1991): A new strategy for ranking chemical hazards: Framework and application. Environ. Sci. Technol. 25, 695–702

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeeman, M.; Auer, C.M.; Clements, R.G.; Nabholtz, J.V.; Boething, R.S. (1995). U.S. EPA regulatory perspectives on the use of QSAR for new and existing chemicals. SAR QSAR Environ. Res. 3, 179–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Zoology, Michigan State University, National Food Safety and Toxicology Center and Institute of Environmental Toxicology, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Erin M. Snyder, Shane A. Snyder & John P. Giesy

  2. Surface Water Quality Division, Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality, PO Box 30273, 48909-7773, Lansing, MI, USA

    Shari A. Blonde, Gary K. Hurlburt, Cheryl L. Summer, Rachel R. Mitchell & Dennis M. Bush

Authors
  1. Erin M. Snyder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shane A. Snyder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John P. Giesy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shari A. Blonde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gary K. Hurlburt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Cheryl L. Summer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Rachel R. Mitchell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Dennis M. Bush
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Deceased

The scoring and ranking system in the form of a Lotus 12397 spreadsheet and a description of its use are available on the Internet at http://www.epa. gov/toxteam/pbtrept/

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Snyder, E.M., Snyder, S.A., Giesy, J.P. et al. SCRAM: A scoring and ranking system for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances for the North American Great Lakes. Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 7, 52–61 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03028072

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03028072

Keywords

  • Acute toxicity
  • bioaccumulation
  • chemical scoring and ranking
  • chronic toxicity
  • hazard
  • North American Great Lakes
  • persistence
  • priority pollutants
  • SCRAM (Chemical Scoring and Ranking Assessment Model)
  • uncertainty
  • water pollution