A new approach for using short-term tests to screen complex mixtures.

This paper suggests a framework for developing parsimonious batteries of rapid, inexpensive biological assays which provide quantifiable estimates of human risk. The framework for the statistical design is tier testing. The framework develops an unusual perspective for using chemical spiking to evaluate the toxicity of a complex mixture to a battery of bioassays. This framework allows immediate evaluation of hazardous wastes and identifies important problems to provide focus for basic research.