For example, the Leggett biokinetic model for lead is used as the basis for assessments by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The Leggett model represents the age-dependent behaviour of lead, a heavy metal, in the human body after an initial amount of it has been deposited. It has been implemented in AMBER, illustrating how the software can be used to model the transfer of contaminants within the human body.

As part of a study into the chemical toxicity and radiological significance of intakes of uranium, Thorne and Wilson (2015) used AMBER to implement a biokinetic model of uranium, which combined the ICRP respiratory tract model (ICRP Publication 66), its systemic circulation (ICRP Publication 69) and the ICRP gastrointestinal tract model (ICRP Publication 30).

AMBER has recently been used in a Canadian PhD study to model the dietary intake and excretion of I-129 and I-127 in human biological materials. With the recent re-emergence of iodine deficiency among individuals in several industrialised countries, understanding a population’s main sources of iodine population is necessary to ensure fortification strategies are justified and effective. Uncertainty has recently arisen as to the relative importance of iodised salt, especially with medical warnings to reduce salt consumption. The biokinetic model of iodine developed by Leggett (2017) was implemented in AMBER (see figure below). This model was used to investigate the main sources of I-127 and I-129 in the Canadian diet based on daily food consumption survey data, and modelling of the urinary iodine concentration for adults and infants.