The CRED tools for ecotoxicity studies
Criteria for evaluating the reliability and relevance of ecotoxicity studies were developed in the CRED project (Criteria for Evaluating and Reporting ecotoxicity Data).
The CRED evaluation method was developed from available methods and OECD reporting recommendations for aquatic ecotoxicity studies. To assess whether the CRED evaluation method would be a suitable replacement for the Klimsich method, a ring test was conducted to compare the two methods. The ring test concluded that the risk assessors preferred the CRED evaluation method as it was more transparent and provided detailed guidance.
Specific tools have also been developed for the evaluation of nanoecotoxicity (NanoCRED) and behavioural studies (EthoCRED). In addition, criteria for the evaluation of sediment and soil studies (CRED for sediment and soil) have been developed in work led by researchers at the Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology.
Assessment sheets and documents for importing and visualizing data from several workbooks are available as Excel files here. Instructions are available in PDF format. Notice to users: Documents for importing and visualizing data from several workbooks require enabling macros in your Excel program on your computer.
Tools and guidance
References
Bertram, M. G., Ågerstrand, M., Thoré, E. S., Allen, J., Balshine, S., Brand, J. A., ... & Brodin, T. (2024). EthoCRED: a framework to guide reporting and evaluation of the relevance and reliability of behavioural ecotoxicity studies. Biological Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13154
Casado‐Martinez, M., Dell'Ambrogio, G., Campiche, S., Kroll, A., Lauber, E., Marti‐Roura, M. & Ferrari, B. J. 2024. Incorporation of sediment‐and soil‐specific aspects in the Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Ecotoxicity Data (CRED). Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4948
Hartmann, N. B., Ågerstrand, M., Lützhøft, H. C. H., & Baun, A. 2017. NanoCRED: A transparent framework to assess the regulatory adequacy of ecotoxicity data for nanomaterials–Relevance and reliability revisited. NanoImpact, 6, 81-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.impact.2017.03.004
Kase R, Korkaric M, Werner I, Ågerstrand M. 2016. Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating ecotoxicity Data (CRED): comparison and perception of the Klimisch and CRED methods for evaluating reliability and relevance of ecotoxicity studies. Environmental Sciences Europe 28:7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-016-0073-x
Moermond, C. T., Kase, R., Korkaric, M., & Ågerstrand, M. 2016. CRED: Criteria for reporting and evaluating ecotoxicity data. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 35(5), 1297-1309. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3259