ERA-AQUA 2.0

The ERA-AQUA 2.0 model was developed to assess the risks of veterinary medicinal products applied in pond aquaculture for the targeted produce, surrounding aquatic ecosystems, consumers and trade.

The ERA-AQUA model is able to calculate environmental and human health risks for a wide range of chemicals and aquaculture scenarios based on information on environmental characteristics, aquaculture management practices, and physico-chemical and toxicological properties of the compound under study.

Developed by Wageningen Environmental Research and IMDEA Water

Overview

Suggested users: Aquaculture producers, regulators

Format: Spreadsheet model

Cost: Free to use but must register to get access

Data requirements: Chemical data: dosage, physico-chemical properties, toxicity data. Scenario data: pond characteristics, aquaculture management practices.

Time requirements: It will take a few seconds to run if the data is available.

Required resources: Microsoft Excel (no specific version)

Prior knowledge: Some understanding of aquaculture pond systems, management practices, and basic exposure and risk assessment. There is a guidance document to help use the tool. 

 

Relevant links

Manual (external link, pdf)
Model homepage and download (external link)

Scientific papers and relevant literature

Rico A, Jacobs R, Van den Brink PJ, Tello A (2017). A probabilistic approach to assess antibiotic resistance development risks in environmental compartments and its application to an intensive aquaculture production scenario. Environmental Pollution 231: 918-928.

Rico A, Van den Brink PJ (2014). Probabilistic risk assessment of veterinary medicines applied to four major aquaculture species produced in Asia. Science of the Total Environment 468-469: 630-641.

Rico A, Geng Y, Focks A, Van den Brink PJ (2013). Modeling human health and environmental risks of veterinary medicines applied in pond aquaculture. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 32: 1196-1207.