What factor is essential for the reliability of PECQ values?

The reliability of Probable Effect Concentration Quotients (PECQs) is fundamentally dependent on the quality and accuracy of the environmental models used in the assessment. Environmental models play a critical role because they help simulate how substances behave in different ecosystems, predict their potential impacts on the environment, and estimate concentrations in specific contexts. If the models lack precision or incorporate flawed assumptions about chemical behaviors, environmental interactions, or ecological endpoints, the PECQ values generated can lead to misleading conclusions about the risk associated with certain substances.

Accurate models ensure that the results reflect real-world scenarios as closely as possible, offering a reliable basis for decision-making concerning environmental health and safety. The other factors listed, while potentially relevant to specific assessments, do not inherently influence the reliability of the PECQ values as fundamentally as the robustness of the modeling approaches used.