Derived minimal effect level (DMEL)

Derived minimal effect levels (DMELs) are calculated as part of the human health hazard assessment portion of the European Community Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) chemical safety assessment. DMELs are derived for substances that exhibit a nonthreshold mode of action such as mutagens and carcinogens. A DMEL is a reference risk level that is considered to be of very low concern—i.e., it should be seen as a ‘tolerable’ level of effects but not a level where no potential effects can be foreseen. The European Chemicals Agency has developed two methodologies for DMEL derivation. DMELs are used in the REACH semiquantitative health risk characterization process.