Biokinetics and biokinetic models in risk assessment.

Risk assessment of xenobiotics using animal data involves extrapolation from high doses to low ones, and from animal species to humans. In some cases it also involves extrapolation from one route of exposure to another. To assess the risk of exposure to xenobiotics, information on both biokinetics and biodynamics are needed. The contribution of biokinetics to risk assessment is the subject of this review. The review includes the general aspects of biokinetics of chemicals, the models available to describe the biokinetic behaviour of a chemical and a discussion of the class of biokinetic models that is considered most suited for application to risk assessment: the physiologically-based biokinetic (PBBK) models. The power of PBBK models is illustrated with a few examples.