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Overview

IUCLID6 (International Uniform Chemical Information Database) is a software developed by the European Chemicals Agency in association with the OECD, designed to assist users in efficiently filling a large quantity of fields and data related to chemical substances and mixtures. The software encompasses a range of functionalities and features to facilitate the management and input of comprehensive chemical information, supporting a systematic approach to data organization and documentation. [1]

OECD​

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is an international organization that focuses on promoting policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. One of the areas of concern for the OECD is the environment, and it has developed guidelines and recommendations to address various aspects, including the physical and chemical properties of substances.

The OECD has developed guidelines for the testing of chemicals (e.g. Drugs, Pesticides, Polymers, Industrial Chemicals, Polluants...). These guidelines provide standardized methods for assessing the properties of chemicals, including their physical and chemical characteristics. The goal is to ensure that the information generated through these tests is reliable, comparable, and can be used for regulatory purposes, such as assessing the potential risks associated with the use of chemicals. [2][3]

These guidelines, 133 in total with an average of 60 points/information to collect, cover a wide range of parameters, including but not limited to:

  • Physical Properties: This includes parameters such as melting point, boiling point, density, particle size distribution, and vapor pressure.

  • Chemical Properties: This involves assessments related to chemical stability, reactivity, and other chemical characteristics that are relevant for understanding the behavior of substances.

  • Environmental Fate and Behavior: The OECD guidelines also address how substances behave in the environment, covering aspects like biodegradability, bioaccumulation, and mobility in soil.

  • Toxicological Properties: While not directly related to physical and chemical properties, the OECD also provides guidelines for toxicological testing to assess the potential health hazards of chemicals.

These guidelines are widely used by member countries and beyond to generate data on chemicals in a consistent and scientifically valid manner. This information is essential for risk assessment, regulatory decision-making, and promoting the safe use of chemicals while minimizing environmental and health impacts. [3]

Use of IUCLID6 in the context of OECD​

  • Data Standardization: IUCLID6 provides a standardized format for the submission of chemical data based on the OECD guidelines for the testing of chemicals, including standardized methods for generating data on physical and chemical properties, environmental fate, and toxicological effects. The use of IUCLID6 helps ensure that the data submitted by various parties adhere to common standards, facilitating consistency and comparability.

  • Regulatory Compliance: Many countries and regions use data generated according to OECD guidelines for regulatory purposes. IUCLID6 acts as a platform for compiling and submitting this data, ensuring that it meets the requirements of regulatory frameworks such as the European Union's REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation.

  • Chemical Dossier Preparation: IUCLID6 is commonly used for the preparation of chemical dossiers that are submitted to regulatory authorities for the evaluation of chemical safety. These dossiers often include data generated following OECD test guidelines. This integration streamlines the submission process and helps regulatory agencies assess the safety of chemicals efficiently.

In summary, IUCLID6 serves as a tool for managing chemical information, and its use aligns with OECD guidelines for testing chemicals. The combination of IUCLID6 and OECD guidelines supports the generation of high-quality, standardized data for regulatory purposes and enhances the global collaboration on chemical safety assessments.

Why ChemAssist?​

IUCLID6 (International Uniform ChemicaL Information Database) is pivotal for managing chemical data in regulatory contexts. However, its manual data entry poses challenges: it's labor-intensive, expensive, and prone to inconsistencies, leading to compliance and data integrity issues for stakeholders like EU member states and industry organizations.

While IUCLID6 stays the central place to store the information for Compliance and Regulatory purpose, ChemAssist facilitates the entry of this information by using Large Language Models and Engineering and fill efficiently the large amount of fields required by the OECD guidelines.