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Toxicology literature, databases, and other online resources
C H A P T E R
42 Toxicology literature, databases, and other online resources Philip Wexler Retired, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States
42.1 Introduction Toxicology data and other information are widespread, voluminous, and global. Journals and books remain a mainstay of publishing outlets. Although numerous predictions about the demise of paper have been refuted, it is true that many publications now appear only in digital versions. Computerized databases accessible via the Web and containing information drawn from journals, books, technical reports, laboratory research, and other databases form probably the most massive and widely consulted resource for toxicology, as they do for other sciences. This chapter offers a look at some of the major information resources at the disposal of toxicologists today. Due to page limitations imposed by the length recommended for this chapter, the list is highly selective and represents those resources the author and his colleagues have found particularly useful and relevant over the years.
An Introduction to Interdisciplinary Toxicology DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813602-7.00042-9
42.2 Books (often available in paper, online, and for e-readers; check with publisher or Amazon) Bingham E, Cohrssen B, editors. Patty’s toxicology, 6th ed. 2012. Presents, in logical groupings, comprehensive toxicological data for industrial compounds, including CAS numbers, physical and chemical properties, exposure limits, and biological tolerance values for occupational exposures. Duffus J, Templeton DM, Schwenk M. Comprehensive glossary of terms used in toxicology. Royal Society of Chemistry; 2017. This long awaited comprehensive glossary has been rigorously reviewed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and is an ideal reference for students and researchers in toxicology and those otherwise involved in chemicals legislation, regulation, and risk assessment. Nelson LS et al., editors. Goldfrank’s toxicologic emergencies, 11th ed. McGraw-Hill Education; 2019.
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Divided into the following parts: The General Approach to the Patient, The Fundamental Principles of Medical Toxicology, The Clinical Basis of Medical Toxicology, and Population Health. Presents a range of case studies and an in-depth review of a variety of antidotes. Gupta RC, editor. Veterinary toxicology, 3rd ed. Academic Press/Elsevier; 2018. Provides thorough grounding in the newest approaches for diagnosing poisoning cases in all animals from chemicals and plants of a diverse nature as a result of inadvertent, accidental, or malicious intents. Harbison RD, Bourgeois MM, Johnson GT. Hamilton and Hardy’s industrial toxicology, 6th ed. Wiley; 2015. A concise, yet comprehensive reference on all aspects of industrial exposures and toxicants. Includes information on occupational and environmental sources of exposure, mammalian toxicology, industrial hygiene, medical management, and ecotoxicology. Hayes AW, Kruger CL, editors. Hayes’ principles and methods of toxicology, 6th ed. CRC Press; 2014. A long-standing and reliable resource for students and professionals. Covers the concepts, methodologies, and assessments integral to toxicology. Wide breadth of coverage. Includes a useful glossary. International Labour Organization. Encyclopedia of occupational health and safety. Online Edition. ,http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_113329/lang-en/index.htm.. A comprehensive text, now online, providing a wide knowledge base on occupational safety and health. Includes substantial information on chemicals found in the workplace and chemical industries. Klaasen CD, editor. Casarett & Doull’s toxicology: the basic science of poisons, 9th ed. McGrawHill Education; 2019. Perhaps the best-known and most highly regarded university text for graduate courses
in toxicology. All facets of the subject are covered, and it provides a solid foundation in the subject. Chapters are divided into seven units: General Principles of Toxicology, Disposition of Toxicants, Non-Organ Directed Toxicity, Target Organ Toxicity, Toxic Agents, Environmental Toxicology, and Applications of Toxicology. Levy BS, et al., editors. Occupational and environmental health, 7th ed. Oxford University Press; 2017. Provides a narrative of occupational and environmental health and its relationships to public health, environmental science, and government policy. The new edition includes chapters on climate change, children’s environmental health, liver disorders, kidney disorders, and a global perspective on occupational health and safety. Lewis RJ. Sax’s Dangerous properties of industrial materials, 12th ed. Wiley; 2012. Extensive data on some 28,000 substances. Each entry includes a DPIM code, hazard rating, entry name, CAS number, DOT number, molecular formula, molecular weight, line structural formula, description of material and physical properties, and synonyms. Olson KR, editor. Poisoning and drug overdose, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2017. Offers practical advice on diagnosis and treatment, detailed information on useful drugs and antidotes, and workplace safety information. Smart RC, Hodgson RC. Molecular and biochemical toxicology, 5th ed. Wiley; 2017. An advanced text for toxicology students, this book provides in-depth information describing the underlying mechanisms through which toxicants produce their adverse responses. Stine KE, Brown TM. Principles of toxicology, 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2015. Explores the biochemical, physiological, and environmental aspects of the subject. Includes significant changes in thinking about carcinogenesis and the rapid expansion of toxicogenomics. Extensively cross-referenced.
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42.3 Journals (a sampling)
Wexler P, editor. Encyclopedia of toxicology, 3rd ed. Academic Press/Elsevier; 2014. In four volumes, the third edition comprehensively presents an A Z arrangement of entries devoted to key concepts and specific chemicals and is updated to reflect current advances in the field. New information in areas such as nanotoxicology, epigenetics, persistent organic pollutants, computational toxicology, and bioinformatics is presented, along with entries on global initiatives. Wexler P, series editor. History of toxicology and environmental health. Academic Press/ Elsevier; 2014 This ongoing monographic series takes a sweeping look at the rich history of toxicology. Broad scope volumes have been published on Toxicology in Antiquity, Toxicology in the Middle Ages, and Renaissance, with more specialized titles on the history of alternative test methods in toxicology and the history of risk assessment in toxicology. More volumes under preparation include those on the use of poisons through the ages, major toxicological accidents, and the history of food toxicology. Wexler P, editor. Information resources in toxicology, 4th ed. Academic Press/Elsevier; 2009. The latest version of this book, originally released in 1982, is a unique wide-ranging, international, annotated bibliography and compendium of major resources in toxicology and allied fields. Includes contributions from over 30 countries, numerous key references, and relevant Web links, concise narratives on toxicologic subdisciplines, and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry’s (IUPAC) Glossary of Terms in Toxicology. The 5th edition, updated and including additional topical and country chapters, is due spring 2020. Yu M, et al. Environmental toxicology: biological and health effects of pollutants, 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2011. Presents fundamental information on the effects of environmental toxicants on living systems. Focuses on the chemical and
biological characteristics of major pollutants found in the air, water, and soil and relates them to the health and well-being of humans, animals, and plants. In addition to the general books highlighted in this section, many others are available in specialized subdisciplines of toxicology. To name a few: Acosta D, ed. Cardiovascular toxicology, 4th ed. CRC Press; 2008. Bagchi D, Swaroop A. Food toxicology. CRC Press; 2016. Bobst S, Torres JA. Toxicological risk assessment for beginners. Springer; 2015. Fisk P. Chemical risk assessment: a manual for REACH. Wiley; 2014. Gad SC. Drug safety evaluation, 3rd ed. Wiley; 2016. Haschek W, et al., eds. Fundamentals of toxicologic pathology, 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2017. Kumar A, et al., editors. Mutagenicity: assays and applications. Elsevier; 2017. Proudlock R, editor. Genetic toxicology testing. Elsevier; 2016. Salem H, Katz SA, editors. Inhalation toxicology, 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2016. Smith SY, et al., editors. Bone toxicology. Springer; 2017. Waters MD, Hughes Jr CL. Translational toxicology and therapeutics: windows of developmental susceptibility in reproduction and cancer. Wiley; 2017. Zhao Y, et al., editors. Toxicology of nanomaterials. Wiley; 2016.
42.3 Journals (a sampling) Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Annual Reviews Inc.) Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (Springer) Archives of Toxicology (Springer) BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology (Springer Nature)
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Cell Biology and Toxicology (Springer) Chemical Research in Toxicology (American Chemical Society) Chemico-Biological Interactions (Elsevier) Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research (Pulsus) Clinical Toxicology (Taylor & Francis) Critical Reviews in Toxicology (Taylor & Francis) Current Research in Toxicology (Elsevier) Drug and Chemical Toxicology (Taylor & Francis) Environmental Toxicology (John Wiley & Sons Inc.) Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology (Elsevier) Food and Chemical Toxicology (Elsevier) Human and Experimental Toxicology (SAGE Journals) International Journal of Toxicology (SAGE Journals) Journal of Analytical Toxicology (Oxford Academic) Journal of Applied Toxicology (Wiley) Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology (Wiley) Journal of Clinical Toxicology (Omics Online) and Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Science Alert) Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (Taylor & Francis) Journal of Toxicology (Hindawi) Molecular and Cellular Toxicology (Springer) Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (Elsevier) Toxicologic Pathology (SAGE Journals) Toxicological Sciences (Oxford University Press) Toxicology (Elsevier) Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (Elsevier) Toxicology in Vitro (Elsevier) Toxicology Letters (Elsevier) Toxicology Research (Royal Society of Chemistry) Xenobiotica (Taylor & Francis)
42.4 Professional societies 42.4.1 American Industrial Hygiene Association (www.aiha.org) American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), founded in 1939, is a nonprofit professional association for industrial hygienists and is devoted to workplace and worker safety and health. It publishes The Synergist monthly magazine and the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
42.4.2 American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (www.clintox.org) American Academy of Clinical Toxicology is a multidisciplinary organization uniting scientists and clinicians in the advancement of research, education, prevention, and treatment of diseases caused by chemicals, drugs, and toxins. They have also established the American Board of Medical Toxicology for physician certification and the American Board of Applied Toxicology for nonphysician peer recognition.
42.4.3 American College of Toxicology (www.actox.org) American College of Toxicology is a professional organization of toxicologists working primarily in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, contract organizations, regulatory agencies, or as consultants. It promotes the exchange of information and perspective on applied toxicology and safety.
42.4.4 Federation of European Toxicologists and European Societies of Toxicology (www.eurotox.com) Federation of European Toxicologists and European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX),
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founded in 1962 and an outgrowth of the European Society for the Study of Drug Toxicity, aims to foster toxicology, both scientifically and educationally, in all countries in Europe. They organize an annual congress, workshops, and postgraduate training courses.
42.4.5 International Union of Toxicology (www.iutox.org) Founded in 1980, International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) represents toxicology on the world stage. It is comprised of 63 affiliated societies and over 25,000 toxicologists. It organizes the International Congress on Toxicology (the next meeting to convene in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2019), and the Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries (the next meeting to convene in Belgrade, Serbia in 2018), both meetings held every three years.
42.4.6 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (www.setac.org) Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) is a nonprofit, worldwide professional society comprised of individuals and institutions engaged in: the study, analysis, and solution of environmental problems; the management and regulation of natural resources, environmental education; and research and development.
42.4.7 Society for Risk Analysis (www.sra.org) Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), with nearly 2000 members, provides an open forum for all involved in risk analysis define by the Society to include: assessment, characterization, and communication of risk and policy relating to risk. Its flagship journal, published since 1981, is Risk Analysis: An International Journal.
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42.4.8 Society of Toxicology (www.toxicology.org) Founded in 1961, Society of Toxicology (SOT) is a professional and scholarly organization of scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing a cross section of scientists who practice toxicology in the United States and other countries. Its mission is “to create a safer and healthier world by advancing the science and increasing the impact of toxicology.” It is the world’s largest and most active professional society for toxicologists. Its annual meetings offer an extensive array of presentations and are widely attended. A sampling of Other Societies: Behavioral Toxicology Society, Environmental Mutagen Society, International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Society of Forensic Toxicologists, Society of Toxicologic Pathology, and, of course many countries other than the United States have their own toxicology societies as well.
42.5 US government organizations and laws 42.5.1 Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) The centers for disease control (CDC) works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. A number of its offices actively pursue research and activities related to toxicology. The National Center for Environmental Health, for example, supports an environmental health laboratory, an environmental public health tracking network, radiation, climate, and health, and safe water programs. Its Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) responds to communities where people might be exposed to hazardous substances in the environment and publishes the highly
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regarded Toxicological Profiles. Another relevant CDC component is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (www. cdc.gov/niosh). Its research works to improve workplace safety and health through safe practices, policies, and procedures.
42.5.2 Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of types of consumer products under its jurisdiction. Products that are potential chemical hazards are included. Their National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) (www. cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/NEISS-InjuryData) collects patient information from hospitals for every emergency visit involving an injury associated with consumer products. Poisoning is among the diagnoses coded for.
42.5.3 Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s mission, as a regulatory agency, of protecting human health and the environment covers many aspects related to toxicology. Most specifically, its Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention works to protect people and the environment from potential risks from pesticides and toxic chemicals. This Office implements the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the Pollution Prevention Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), including key parts of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. In 2016 TSCA was amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. The law includes: a mandatory requirement for EPA to evaluate existing chemicals with clear and enforceable deadlines, a new risk-based
safety standard, increased public transparency for chemical information, and a consistent source of funding for EPA to carry out its responsibilities under the law. Other components of EPA, such as the Office or Air and Radiation and the Office of Water, also play a key role in regulating toxic agents. In addition to the Washington, DC Headquarters Office, EPA is divided into 10 geographic regions.
42.5.4 Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. It is also responsible for regulating tobacco products. Its National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) provides interdisciplinary toxicology research solutions to support FDA needs. The major law which it enforces is the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
42.5.5 National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov) A part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest biomedical research agency in the world. Many of its individual institutes, such as the National Cancer Institute, conduct research related to toxicology. Of particular significance is the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) (www. niehs.nih.gov). Its broad focus is on the environmental causes of disease. Their priority areas and programs include: autism, air pollution and asthma, cancer, climate change and human health, developmental basis of adult disease, nanomaterials, metal toxicity, endocrine disruptors, pesticides, predictive toxicology, and Superfund. NIH’s National Library of Medicine
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42.6 Other organizations
(Section 42.7.8) is another important resource for toxicology information.
42.5.6 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (www.osha.gov) With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress created Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), within the Department of Labor, to assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. OSHA is a good resource for learning more about chemical exposures in the workplace. Their Occupational Chemical Database (https:// www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/) presents exposure limits, emergency response information, and first aid information. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (https://www.osha. gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_ id 5 10099&p_table 5 STANDARDS) is designed to ensure that information about chemical and toxic substance hazards in the workplace and associated protective measures are disseminated to workers.
42.6 Other organizations 42.6.1 American Association of Poison Control Centers (www.aapcc.org/) The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) supports the nation’s 55 poison centers in their efforts to prevent and treat poison exposures. Poison centers offer free, confidential, expert medical advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 and online at www.PoisonHelp.org.
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of toxicology through access to objective science-based information on the safety of chemicals and other agents encountered in daily life. Its Web site contains useful plain language information about aspects of toxicology, without requiring any technical background. ToxTopics include hazard versus risk, human health risk assessment, nanotechnology, cosmetics, pesticides, botulinum toxin, green chemistry, basics of dose and exposure, and more. Its videos include Is it Safe? and Toxicity Today. TEF also supports in-person public outreach programs and promotes educational opportunities and career development for graduate students studying toxicology.
42.6.3 United Nations The United Nations (UN) (http://www.un. org), founded in 1945, is made up of 193 Member States. Among the many issues within its scope are peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, human rights, disarmament, terrorism, humanitarian and health emergencies, gender equality, governance, and food production. The UN family of funds, programs, and specialized agencies include several of relevance to toxicology. These include the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization, and the International Labor Organization. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (http://www.unep.org), in particular, focuses on issues related to the health of the environment, including a focus on chemicals and waste.
42.6.2 Toxicology Education Foundation (www.toxedfoundation.org)
42.6.4 University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Environmental Health, Risk Science Center (https://med.uc.edu/eh/ centers/rsc)
Toxicology Education Foundation (TEF)’s mission is to enhance public understanding
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Environmental
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Health, Risk Science Center (RSC) conducts work at the intersection of science and health protection. Their expertise covers human health risk assessment, peer review and consultation, risk assessment training, occupational risk and exposure, risk methods development, green chemistry, and more. Their International Toxicity Estimates for Risk Database is offered through the National Library of Medicine, see Section 42.7.8.
42.7 Online databases and other digital tools 42.7.1 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Toxic Substances Portal (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp) is a useful entry point for toxicological information. Several levels of information summaries are available for chemicals. The Toxicological Profiles succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for hazardous substances. These peer-reviewed profiles identify and review the key literature that describes a hazardous substance’s toxicologic properties. Each profile begins with a Public Health Statement that summarizes in nontechnical language, a substance’s relevant properties. Additionally two page information sheets known as ToxFAQs answer, in nontechnical language, the most frequently asked health questions about a given chemical. The ATSDR portal also offers links to Medical Management Guidelines (MMG) for acute chemical exposures, designed to aid healthcare professionals involved in emergency response.
42.7.2 Environmental Working Group Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. Their
Skin Deep Database (http://www.ewg.org/ skindeep/) contains online profiles for cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns.
42.7.3 European Chemicals Agency European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is the driving force among regulatory authorities in implementing the European Union’s chemicals legislation for the benefit of human health and the environment, while stimulating innovation and competitiveness. ECHA’s Information on Chemicals Web page (https://echa.europa.eu/ information-on-chemicals) leads to information on some 120,000 chemicals structured as infocards, brief profiles, and detailed source data.
42.7.4 European Commission’s Joint Research Centre EU Science Hub The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) EU Science Hub (https://ec.europa. eu/jrc/en) contains an array of databases and datasets relevant to toxicology, the environment, and science more broadly. One example is the EURL ECVAM Database Service on Alternative Methods to Animal Experimentation (DB-ALM). It is a public, factual database that provide evaluated information on development and applications of advanced and alternative methods to animal experimentation in the field of biomedical sciences and toxicology for research or regulatory purposes.
42.7.5 International Agency for Research on Cancer With over 1000 agents evaluated since 1971, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (http:// monographs.iarc.fr) identify environmental factors that can increase the risk of human cancer. These include chemicals, complex
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42.7 Online databases and other digital tools
mixtures, occupational exposures, physical agents, biological agents, and lifestyle factors. Agents are classified by one of several groups: 1—Carcinogenic to human, 2A—Probably carcinogenic to humans, 2B—Possibly carcinogenic to humans, 3—Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans, and 4—Probably not carcinogenic to humans. More than 400 have been classified as groups 1 or 2.
42.7.6 National Center for Toxicological Research National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) (https://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ CentersOffices/OC/OfficeofScientificandMedical Programs/NCTR/), described in Section 42.5.4, offers several useful online bioinformatics tools. Among these are ArrayTrack, Estrogenic Activity Database, Endocrine Disruptor Knowledge Base, Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base, and SNPTrack.
42.7.7 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences NIEHS, described in Section 42.5.5, provides a number of databases relevant to toxicology (https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/ resources/databases/index.cfm). These include Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS), Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal, Environmental Genome Project, Environmental Polymorphisms Registry (EPR), Nanomaterial Registry, Roadmap Epigenomics Project Data and Online Resource for Integrative Omics.
42.7.8 National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov) The National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world’s largest biomedical library, has been
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at the forefront of medical information practically since its inception in 1836. The print publication, Index Medicus, ultimately morphed into PubMed (www.pubmed.gov) which comprises over 27 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Toxicology falls withing the broad scope of PubMed. Historically, NLM also housed for decades the Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS) which focused on toxicology through its Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP). TEHIP served as a portal to a broad array of information in toxicology and related disciplines and its TOXNET system consisted of numerous widely consulted databases citing a vast array of literature and data. Sadly, the Division, the Program, and TOXNET itself were retired in late 2019. Although some of TOXNET’s databases have been sunsetted, others have fortunately been transferred elsewhere within NLM’s suite of information resources or are available through other groups. Some of the databases that had been part of TOXNET are highlighted below: TOXLINE – TOXLINE contained millions of references to literature on biochemical, pharmacological, physiological, and toxicological effects of chemicals, including drugs. The archival TOXLINE subset is available at https://www. nlm.nih.gov/databases/download/toxlinesubset. html. Updated toxicological content can be obtained by searching PubMed using the search string: tox [sb]. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) – Peer-reviewed toxicology data for over 5000 potentially hazardous chemicals. Information is provided on human exposure, industrial hygiene, emergency handling procedures, environmental fate, regulatory requirements, nanomaterials, and more. HSDM content has been migrated to NLM’s PubChem. (See https:// www.nlm.nih.gov/toxnet/Accessing_HSDB_ Content_from_PubChem.html)
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ChemIDplus – An online dictionary of over 300,000 chemicals, including names, synonyms and chemical structures. (https://chem.nlm. nih.gov/chemidplus/) Additional databases on drugs and lactation (LactMed), household products (Household Products Database), occupational diseases (Household Products Database), risk assessment (IRIS and ITER), toxic releases (TRI) were also among those in TOXNET. Users are advised to consult the TOXNET transition page (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/toxnet/index.html) to view the status and accessibility of the databases formerly in TOXNET. Further questions can be addressed via the NLM Customer Support Page (http://support.nlm.nih.gov).
42.7.9 National Pesticide Information Center and their Product Research Online Database National Product Research Online (NPRO) (http://npic.orst.edu/NPRO/) contains information on over 400,000 pesticide products. Data comes from EPA’s Office of Pesticide Program (OPP). NPRO was develop and is housed at the National Pesticide Information Center at Oregon State University (OSU). The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) Web site itself (http://npic.orst.edu) provides links to national and local pesticide regulatory and pest control information on a state-by-state basis, as well as pesticide fact sheets, videos, web apps, podcasts, outreach materials, and more.
42.7.10 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) promotes policies that will improve the economic and social wellbeing of people around the world. Among the free services they provide is eChemPortal
(www.echemportal.org), first launched in 2007. Its data sources are rich in information on chemical and physical properties, environmental fate and behavior, toxicity, and ecotoxicity. Direct links to collections of chemical hazard and risk information prepared for government chemical review programs at national, regional and international levels are provided, as are classifications in relation to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Exposure and use information is also available. One can search via chemical name or identifying number, chemical property, or by classification and labeling criteria. Among the over 30 international databases represented are AGRITOX (French government database on pesticides), EFSA (the chemical hazards database of the European Food Safety Authority), GSBL (the Joint Substance Data Pool of the German Federal Government and Federal States), J-CHECK (the Japan CHEmicals Collaborative Knowledge database), OECD HPV (the OECD Existing Chemicals Database), and SPIN (Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries). The data and information stored in each participating data source are the responsibility of the data owner. The OECD QSAR Toolbox may be used to find information via eChemPortal for a chemical substance whose chemical name is unknown or to find information on chemical substances with a similar structure to a specific chemical.
42.7.11 Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Action Network (PAN) links local and international consumer, labor, health, environment and agriculture groups into an international citizens’ action network. PAN North America is one of five regional centers worldwide. PAN’s Pesticide Database (http://www. pesticideinfo.org/) includes toxicity and regulatory information for pesticides. Although they are an advocacy group committed to a
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42.8 The international legal and regulatory framework
significant reduction of pesticide use and making consumers aware of potential dangers associated with such products, they have produced a useful and objective database on the toxicity of pesticides.
42.7.12 State of New Jersey One of New Jersey’s important workplace health and safety initiatives is their Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets program (http://web.doh.state.nj.us/rtkhsfs/indexfs.aspx). Over 1600 have been completed with over 900 translated into Spanish. They contain information on health hazards, exposure limits, personal protective equipment, proper handling, first aid, and emergency procedures for fires and spills.
42.7.13 US Environmental Protection Agency—ACToR US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Aggregated Computational Toxicology Online Resource (ACToR) (https://actor.epa. gov/actor) aggregates data from thousands of public sources on over 500,000 chemicals. It is searchable by chemical name and other identifiers. In addition, it is the data and web applications warehouse for EPA’s computational toxicology information, which includes highthroughput screening, chemical exposure, sustainable chemistry, and virtual tissues data.
42.8 The international legal and regulatory framework Among the over 50 global and regional multilateral environmental agreements in effect, three in particular share the common objective of broadly protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (http://www.basel.int/)—Created to protect people and the environment from the negative
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effects of the inappropriate management of hazardous wastes worldwide. It is the most comprehensive global treaty addressing hazardous waste materials throughout their lifecycles, from production and transport to final use and disposal. Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (http://www.pic.int/)—Promotes international efforts to protect human health and the environment as well as enabling countries to decide if they want to import hazardous chemicals and pesticides listed in the Convention. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (http://chm.pops.int/)—A global treaty to protect human health and the environment from highly dangerous, long-lasting chemicals by restricting and ultimately eliminating their production, use, trade, release, and storage. Also, the Minamata Convention on Mercury (http://www.mercuryconvention.org/) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. Some highlights include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase out of existing ones, the reduction or elimination of mercury use in various products and processes, and control measures on environmental emissions. To name just a few other treaties and protocols with some relevance to toxicology: Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (and its Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers), Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (including its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement). In addition to these treaties, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) (http://www.saicm. org/) is an overarching policy framework
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designed to foster the sound management of chemicals. It is based on principles of multistakeholder and multisector engagement and supports the achievement of the goal, first articulated by the World Summit on Sustainable Development, that, by 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. SAICM’s objectives are grouped into five themes: risk reduction; knowledge and information; governance; capacity-building and technical cooperation; and illegal international traffic.
42.9 Social media and blogs Although there is no generally accepted definition, blogs (short for Web logs) are Web pages typically managed by an individual or small group and written in a fairly informal style, although some have the backing of major organizations. They tend to be personal, newsy and, often, opinionated. As with many things on the Web, they are a mixed bag and vary widely in quality. They are generally not subject to any kind of scientific review, although there are exceptions. Some have relatively long life spans and others are quite transient. Below are a few to explore, but don’t be surprised if one or more have folded, or others been newly born, by the time this book is published. The American Academy of Clinical Toxicology Blog (http://www.clintox.org/ blog) The EPA Blog (https://blog.epa.gov/blog/) Evolution in a Toxic World (https:// toxicevolution.wordpress.com/) Human Toxicology Project Consortium (humantoxicologyproject.org/blog) The Poison Review (http://www. thepoisonreview.com/)
The Royal Society of Toxicology/Toxicology Research Blog (http://www.blogs.rsc.org/tx) Society of Toxicology Blogs (available from the SOT home page at https://www. toxicology.org) The Toxicologist Today (http:// thetoxicologisttoday.blogspot.com) ToxNow (a podcast) (http://www.toxnow. org) Social media, as defined by Wikipedia, a social media site itself considering its collaborative nature, are “computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.” Facebook (https://www.facebook.com)— Many of the groups and publications itemized elsewhere in this chapter, including the US Society of Toxicology, also have a Facebook presence, typically more informal, and encouraging open discussion via “posts.” You will find, as well, Facebook pages from individual toxicologists. LinkedIn (https://www.linkedIn.com)—A social network for professionals, akin to an online networking session. A good resource for job listings, including toxicology jobs, as well as following individual individuals and companies. Twitter (https://twitter.com)—An online news and social networking service where users post and interact with messages. Tweets are limited to 140 characters. Wikipedia (https://www.wikipedia.org)— Entries are written collaboratively by largely anonymous volunteers. It is useful and can be reliable but, given the nature of its creation, it is also subject to misinformation so must be used with caution. YouTube (https://www.youtube.com)— A substantial number of videos of all shapes and sizes related to toxicology are accessible on this site.
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42.10 A note about cost of access
Other popular social networks include Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr, Flickr, and Google 1 surely to be joined by the next latest, greatest thing in the next nano-moment.
42.10 A note about cost of access Readers should note that while there is a cost associated with almost all of the books and journals listed earlier, virtually all of the databases are available free of charge, as is other valuable toxicological information
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presented on organizational Web sites. On the other hand, there do exist products from well-respected toxicological groups which are made freely available only to their members or for a fee for nonmembers. Two examples are BIBRA Toxicology Advice and Consulting in the United Kingdom (https://www.bibrainformation.co.uk/) and their TRACE chemical toxicity database and the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) (http://www.rifm.org) and their RIFM Database of toxicology information on fragrance and flavor raw materials.
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42 Toxicology literature, databases, and other online resources Philip Wexler Retired, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States
42.1 Introduction Toxicology data and other information are widespread, voluminous, and global. Journals and books remain a mainstay of publishing outlets. Although numerous predictions about the demise of paper have been refuted, it is true that many publications now appear only in digital versions. Computerized databases accessible via the Web and containing information drawn from journals, books, technical reports, laboratory research, and other databases form probably the most massive and widely consulted resource for toxicology, as they do for other sciences. This chapter offers a look at some of the major information resources at the disposal of toxicologists today. Due to page limitations imposed by the length recommended for this chapter, the list is highly selective and represents those resources the author and his colleagues have found particularly useful and relevant over the years.
An Introduction to Interdisciplinary Toxicology DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813602-7.00042-9
42.2 Books (often available in paper, online, and for e-readers; check with publisher or Amazon) Bingham E, Cohrssen B, editors. Patty’s toxicology, 6th ed. 2012. Presents, in logical groupings, comprehensive toxicological data for industrial compounds, including CAS numbers, physical and chemical properties, exposure limits, and biological tolerance values for occupational exposures. Duffus J, Templeton DM, Schwenk M. Comprehensive glossary of terms used in toxicology. Royal Society of Chemistry; 2017. This long awaited comprehensive glossary has been rigorously reviewed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and is an ideal reference for students and researchers in toxicology and those otherwise involved in chemicals legislation, regulation, and risk assessment. Nelson LS et al., editors. Goldfrank’s toxicologic emergencies, 11th ed. McGraw-Hill Education; 2019.
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Divided into the following parts: The General Approach to the Patient, The Fundamental Principles of Medical Toxicology, The Clinical Basis of Medical Toxicology, and Population Health. Presents a range of case studies and an in-depth review of a variety of antidotes. Gupta RC, editor. Veterinary toxicology, 3rd ed. Academic Press/Elsevier; 2018. Provides thorough grounding in the newest approaches for diagnosing poisoning cases in all animals from chemicals and plants of a diverse nature as a result of inadvertent, accidental, or malicious intents. Harbison RD, Bourgeois MM, Johnson GT. Hamilton and Hardy’s industrial toxicology, 6th ed. Wiley; 2015. A concise, yet comprehensive reference on all aspects of industrial exposures and toxicants. Includes information on occupational and environmental sources of exposure, mammalian toxicology, industrial hygiene, medical management, and ecotoxicology. Hayes AW, Kruger CL, editors. Hayes’ principles and methods of toxicology, 6th ed. CRC Press; 2014. A long-standing and reliable resource for students and professionals. Covers the concepts, methodologies, and assessments integral to toxicology. Wide breadth of coverage. Includes a useful glossary. International Labour Organization. Encyclopedia of occupational health and safety. Online Edition. ,http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_113329/lang-en/index.htm.. A comprehensive text, now online, providing a wide knowledge base on occupational safety and health. Includes substantial information on chemicals found in the workplace and chemical industries. Klaasen CD, editor. Casarett & Doull’s toxicology: the basic science of poisons, 9th ed. McGrawHill Education; 2019. Perhaps the best-known and most highly regarded university text for graduate courses
in toxicology. All facets of the subject are covered, and it provides a solid foundation in the subject. Chapters are divided into seven units: General Principles of Toxicology, Disposition of Toxicants, Non-Organ Directed Toxicity, Target Organ Toxicity, Toxic Agents, Environmental Toxicology, and Applications of Toxicology. Levy BS, et al., editors. Occupational and environmental health, 7th ed. Oxford University Press; 2017. Provides a narrative of occupational and environmental health and its relationships to public health, environmental science, and government policy. The new edition includes chapters on climate change, children’s environmental health, liver disorders, kidney disorders, and a global perspective on occupational health and safety. Lewis RJ. Sax’s Dangerous properties of industrial materials, 12th ed. Wiley; 2012. Extensive data on some 28,000 substances. Each entry includes a DPIM code, hazard rating, entry name, CAS number, DOT number, molecular formula, molecular weight, line structural formula, description of material and physical properties, and synonyms. Olson KR, editor. Poisoning and drug overdose, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2017. Offers practical advice on diagnosis and treatment, detailed information on useful drugs and antidotes, and workplace safety information. Smart RC, Hodgson RC. Molecular and biochemical toxicology, 5th ed. Wiley; 2017. An advanced text for toxicology students, this book provides in-depth information describing the underlying mechanisms through which toxicants produce their adverse responses. Stine KE, Brown TM. Principles of toxicology, 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2015. Explores the biochemical, physiological, and environmental aspects of the subject. Includes significant changes in thinking about carcinogenesis and the rapid expansion of toxicogenomics. Extensively cross-referenced.
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42.3 Journals (a sampling)
Wexler P, editor. Encyclopedia of toxicology, 3rd ed. Academic Press/Elsevier; 2014. In four volumes, the third edition comprehensively presents an A Z arrangement of entries devoted to key concepts and specific chemicals and is updated to reflect current advances in the field. New information in areas such as nanotoxicology, epigenetics, persistent organic pollutants, computational toxicology, and bioinformatics is presented, along with entries on global initiatives. Wexler P, series editor. History of toxicology and environmental health. Academic Press/ Elsevier; 2014 This ongoing monographic series takes a sweeping look at the rich history of toxicology. Broad scope volumes have been published on Toxicology in Antiquity, Toxicology in the Middle Ages, and Renaissance, with more specialized titles on the history of alternative test methods in toxicology and the history of risk assessment in toxicology. More volumes under preparation include those on the use of poisons through the ages, major toxicological accidents, and the history of food toxicology. Wexler P, editor. Information resources in toxicology, 4th ed. Academic Press/Elsevier; 2009. The latest version of this book, originally released in 1982, is a unique wide-ranging, international, annotated bibliography and compendium of major resources in toxicology and allied fields. Includes contributions from over 30 countries, numerous key references, and relevant Web links, concise narratives on toxicologic subdisciplines, and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry’s (IUPAC) Glossary of Terms in Toxicology. The 5th edition, updated and including additional topical and country chapters, is due spring 2020. Yu M, et al. Environmental toxicology: biological and health effects of pollutants, 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2011. Presents fundamental information on the effects of environmental toxicants on living systems. Focuses on the chemical and
biological characteristics of major pollutants found in the air, water, and soil and relates them to the health and well-being of humans, animals, and plants. In addition to the general books highlighted in this section, many others are available in specialized subdisciplines of toxicology. To name a few: Acosta D, ed. Cardiovascular toxicology, 4th ed. CRC Press; 2008. Bagchi D, Swaroop A. Food toxicology. CRC Press; 2016. Bobst S, Torres JA. Toxicological risk assessment for beginners. Springer; 2015. Fisk P. Chemical risk assessment: a manual for REACH. Wiley; 2014. Gad SC. Drug safety evaluation, 3rd ed. Wiley; 2016. Haschek W, et al., eds. Fundamentals of toxicologic pathology, 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2017. Kumar A, et al., editors. Mutagenicity: assays and applications. Elsevier; 2017. Proudlock R, editor. Genetic toxicology testing. Elsevier; 2016. Salem H, Katz SA, editors. Inhalation toxicology, 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2016. Smith SY, et al., editors. Bone toxicology. Springer; 2017. Waters MD, Hughes Jr CL. Translational toxicology and therapeutics: windows of developmental susceptibility in reproduction and cancer. Wiley; 2017. Zhao Y, et al., editors. Toxicology of nanomaterials. Wiley; 2016.
42.3 Journals (a sampling) Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Annual Reviews Inc.) Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (Springer) Archives of Toxicology (Springer) BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology (Springer Nature)
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Cell Biology and Toxicology (Springer) Chemical Research in Toxicology (American Chemical Society) Chemico-Biological Interactions (Elsevier) Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research (Pulsus) Clinical Toxicology (Taylor & Francis) Critical Reviews in Toxicology (Taylor & Francis) Current Research in Toxicology (Elsevier) Drug and Chemical Toxicology (Taylor & Francis) Environmental Toxicology (John Wiley & Sons Inc.) Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology (Elsevier) Food and Chemical Toxicology (Elsevier) Human and Experimental Toxicology (SAGE Journals) International Journal of Toxicology (SAGE Journals) Journal of Analytical Toxicology (Oxford Academic) Journal of Applied Toxicology (Wiley) Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology (Wiley) Journal of Clinical Toxicology (Omics Online) and Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Science Alert) Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (Taylor & Francis) Journal of Toxicology (Hindawi) Molecular and Cellular Toxicology (Springer) Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (Elsevier) Toxicologic Pathology (SAGE Journals) Toxicological Sciences (Oxford University Press) Toxicology (Elsevier) Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (Elsevier) Toxicology in Vitro (Elsevier) Toxicology Letters (Elsevier) Toxicology Research (Royal Society of Chemistry) Xenobiotica (Taylor & Francis)
42.4 Professional societies 42.4.1 American Industrial Hygiene Association (www.aiha.org) American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), founded in 1939, is a nonprofit professional association for industrial hygienists and is devoted to workplace and worker safety and health. It publishes The Synergist monthly magazine and the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
42.4.2 American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (www.clintox.org) American Academy of Clinical Toxicology is a multidisciplinary organization uniting scientists and clinicians in the advancement of research, education, prevention, and treatment of diseases caused by chemicals, drugs, and toxins. They have also established the American Board of Medical Toxicology for physician certification and the American Board of Applied Toxicology for nonphysician peer recognition.
42.4.3 American College of Toxicology (www.actox.org) American College of Toxicology is a professional organization of toxicologists working primarily in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, contract organizations, regulatory agencies, or as consultants. It promotes the exchange of information and perspective on applied toxicology and safety.
42.4.4 Federation of European Toxicologists and European Societies of Toxicology (www.eurotox.com) Federation of European Toxicologists and European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX),
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42.5 US government organizations and laws
founded in 1962 and an outgrowth of the European Society for the Study of Drug Toxicity, aims to foster toxicology, both scientifically and educationally, in all countries in Europe. They organize an annual congress, workshops, and postgraduate training courses.
42.4.5 International Union of Toxicology (www.iutox.org) Founded in 1980, International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) represents toxicology on the world stage. It is comprised of 63 affiliated societies and over 25,000 toxicologists. It organizes the International Congress on Toxicology (the next meeting to convene in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2019), and the Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries (the next meeting to convene in Belgrade, Serbia in 2018), both meetings held every three years.
42.4.6 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (www.setac.org) Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) is a nonprofit, worldwide professional society comprised of individuals and institutions engaged in: the study, analysis, and solution of environmental problems; the management and regulation of natural resources, environmental education; and research and development.
42.4.7 Society for Risk Analysis (www.sra.org) Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), with nearly 2000 members, provides an open forum for all involved in risk analysis define by the Society to include: assessment, characterization, and communication of risk and policy relating to risk. Its flagship journal, published since 1981, is Risk Analysis: An International Journal.
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42.4.8 Society of Toxicology (www.toxicology.org) Founded in 1961, Society of Toxicology (SOT) is a professional and scholarly organization of scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing a cross section of scientists who practice toxicology in the United States and other countries. Its mission is “to create a safer and healthier world by advancing the science and increasing the impact of toxicology.” It is the world’s largest and most active professional society for toxicologists. Its annual meetings offer an extensive array of presentations and are widely attended. A sampling of Other Societies: Behavioral Toxicology Society, Environmental Mutagen Society, International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Society of Forensic Toxicologists, Society of Toxicologic Pathology, and, of course many countries other than the United States have their own toxicology societies as well.
42.5 US government organizations and laws 42.5.1 Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) The centers for disease control (CDC) works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. A number of its offices actively pursue research and activities related to toxicology. The National Center for Environmental Health, for example, supports an environmental health laboratory, an environmental public health tracking network, radiation, climate, and health, and safe water programs. Its Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) responds to communities where people might be exposed to hazardous substances in the environment and publishes the highly
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regarded Toxicological Profiles. Another relevant CDC component is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (www. cdc.gov/niosh). Its research works to improve workplace safety and health through safe practices, policies, and procedures.
42.5.2 Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of types of consumer products under its jurisdiction. Products that are potential chemical hazards are included. Their National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) (www. cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/NEISS-InjuryData) collects patient information from hospitals for every emergency visit involving an injury associated with consumer products. Poisoning is among the diagnoses coded for.
42.5.3 Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s mission, as a regulatory agency, of protecting human health and the environment covers many aspects related to toxicology. Most specifically, its Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention works to protect people and the environment from potential risks from pesticides and toxic chemicals. This Office implements the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the Pollution Prevention Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), including key parts of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. In 2016 TSCA was amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. The law includes: a mandatory requirement for EPA to evaluate existing chemicals with clear and enforceable deadlines, a new risk-based
safety standard, increased public transparency for chemical information, and a consistent source of funding for EPA to carry out its responsibilities under the law. Other components of EPA, such as the Office or Air and Radiation and the Office of Water, also play a key role in regulating toxic agents. In addition to the Washington, DC Headquarters Office, EPA is divided into 10 geographic regions.
42.5.4 Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. It is also responsible for regulating tobacco products. Its National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) provides interdisciplinary toxicology research solutions to support FDA needs. The major law which it enforces is the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
42.5.5 National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov) A part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest biomedical research agency in the world. Many of its individual institutes, such as the National Cancer Institute, conduct research related to toxicology. Of particular significance is the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) (www. niehs.nih.gov). Its broad focus is on the environmental causes of disease. Their priority areas and programs include: autism, air pollution and asthma, cancer, climate change and human health, developmental basis of adult disease, nanomaterials, metal toxicity, endocrine disruptors, pesticides, predictive toxicology, and Superfund. NIH’s National Library of Medicine
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42.6 Other organizations
(Section 42.7.8) is another important resource for toxicology information.
42.5.6 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (www.osha.gov) With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress created Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), within the Department of Labor, to assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. OSHA is a good resource for learning more about chemical exposures in the workplace. Their Occupational Chemical Database (https:// www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/) presents exposure limits, emergency response information, and first aid information. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (https://www.osha. gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_ id 5 10099&p_table 5 STANDARDS) is designed to ensure that information about chemical and toxic substance hazards in the workplace and associated protective measures are disseminated to workers.
42.6 Other organizations 42.6.1 American Association of Poison Control Centers (www.aapcc.org/) The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) supports the nation’s 55 poison centers in their efforts to prevent and treat poison exposures. Poison centers offer free, confidential, expert medical advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 and online at www.PoisonHelp.org.
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of toxicology through access to objective science-based information on the safety of chemicals and other agents encountered in daily life. Its Web site contains useful plain language information about aspects of toxicology, without requiring any technical background. ToxTopics include hazard versus risk, human health risk assessment, nanotechnology, cosmetics, pesticides, botulinum toxin, green chemistry, basics of dose and exposure, and more. Its videos include Is it Safe? and Toxicity Today. TEF also supports in-person public outreach programs and promotes educational opportunities and career development for graduate students studying toxicology.
42.6.3 United Nations The United Nations (UN) (http://www.un. org), founded in 1945, is made up of 193 Member States. Among the many issues within its scope are peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, human rights, disarmament, terrorism, humanitarian and health emergencies, gender equality, governance, and food production. The UN family of funds, programs, and specialized agencies include several of relevance to toxicology. These include the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization, and the International Labor Organization. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (http://www.unep.org), in particular, focuses on issues related to the health of the environment, including a focus on chemicals and waste.
42.6.2 Toxicology Education Foundation (www.toxedfoundation.org)
42.6.4 University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Environmental Health, Risk Science Center (https://med.uc.edu/eh/ centers/rsc)
Toxicology Education Foundation (TEF)’s mission is to enhance public understanding
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Environmental
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Health, Risk Science Center (RSC) conducts work at the intersection of science and health protection. Their expertise covers human health risk assessment, peer review and consultation, risk assessment training, occupational risk and exposure, risk methods development, green chemistry, and more. Their International Toxicity Estimates for Risk Database is offered through the National Library of Medicine, see Section 42.7.8.
42.7 Online databases and other digital tools 42.7.1 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Toxic Substances Portal (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/index.asp) is a useful entry point for toxicological information. Several levels of information summaries are available for chemicals. The Toxicological Profiles succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for hazardous substances. These peer-reviewed profiles identify and review the key literature that describes a hazardous substance’s toxicologic properties. Each profile begins with a Public Health Statement that summarizes in nontechnical language, a substance’s relevant properties. Additionally two page information sheets known as ToxFAQs answer, in nontechnical language, the most frequently asked health questions about a given chemical. The ATSDR portal also offers links to Medical Management Guidelines (MMG) for acute chemical exposures, designed to aid healthcare professionals involved in emergency response.
42.7.2 Environmental Working Group Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. Their
Skin Deep Database (http://www.ewg.org/ skindeep/) contains online profiles for cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns.
42.7.3 European Chemicals Agency European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is the driving force among regulatory authorities in implementing the European Union’s chemicals legislation for the benefit of human health and the environment, while stimulating innovation and competitiveness. ECHA’s Information on Chemicals Web page (https://echa.europa.eu/ information-on-chemicals) leads to information on some 120,000 chemicals structured as infocards, brief profiles, and detailed source data.
42.7.4 European Commission’s Joint Research Centre EU Science Hub The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) EU Science Hub (https://ec.europa. eu/jrc/en) contains an array of databases and datasets relevant to toxicology, the environment, and science more broadly. One example is the EURL ECVAM Database Service on Alternative Methods to Animal Experimentation (DB-ALM). It is a public, factual database that provide evaluated information on development and applications of advanced and alternative methods to animal experimentation in the field of biomedical sciences and toxicology for research or regulatory purposes.
42.7.5 International Agency for Research on Cancer With over 1000 agents evaluated since 1971, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (http:// monographs.iarc.fr) identify environmental factors that can increase the risk of human cancer. These include chemicals, complex
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42.7 Online databases and other digital tools
mixtures, occupational exposures, physical agents, biological agents, and lifestyle factors. Agents are classified by one of several groups: 1—Carcinogenic to human, 2A—Probably carcinogenic to humans, 2B—Possibly carcinogenic to humans, 3—Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans, and 4—Probably not carcinogenic to humans. More than 400 have been classified as groups 1 or 2.
42.7.6 National Center for Toxicological Research National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) (https://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ CentersOffices/OC/OfficeofScientificandMedical Programs/NCTR/), described in Section 42.5.4, offers several useful online bioinformatics tools. Among these are ArrayTrack, Estrogenic Activity Database, Endocrine Disruptor Knowledge Base, Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base, and SNPTrack.
42.7.7 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences NIEHS, described in Section 42.5.5, provides a number of databases relevant to toxicology (https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/ resources/databases/index.cfm). These include Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS), Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal, Environmental Genome Project, Environmental Polymorphisms Registry (EPR), Nanomaterial Registry, Roadmap Epigenomics Project Data and Online Resource for Integrative Omics.
42.7.8 National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov) The National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world’s largest biomedical library, has been
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at the forefront of medical information practically since its inception in 1836. The print publication, Index Medicus, ultimately morphed into PubMed (www.pubmed.gov) which comprises over 27 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Toxicology falls withing the broad scope of PubMed. Historically, NLM also housed for decades the Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS) which focused on toxicology through its Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP). TEHIP served as a portal to a broad array of information in toxicology and related disciplines and its TOXNET system consisted of numerous widely consulted databases citing a vast array of literature and data. Sadly, the Division, the Program, and TOXNET itself were retired in late 2019. Although some of TOXNET’s databases have been sunsetted, others have fortunately been transferred elsewhere within NLM’s suite of information resources or are available through other groups. Some of the databases that had been part of TOXNET are highlighted below: TOXLINE – TOXLINE contained millions of references to literature on biochemical, pharmacological, physiological, and toxicological effects of chemicals, including drugs. The archival TOXLINE subset is available at https://www. nlm.nih.gov/databases/download/toxlinesubset. html. Updated toxicological content can be obtained by searching PubMed using the search string: tox [sb]. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) – Peer-reviewed toxicology data for over 5000 potentially hazardous chemicals. Information is provided on human exposure, industrial hygiene, emergency handling procedures, environmental fate, regulatory requirements, nanomaterials, and more. HSDM content has been migrated to NLM’s PubChem. (See https:// www.nlm.nih.gov/toxnet/Accessing_HSDB_ Content_from_PubChem.html)
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ChemIDplus – An online dictionary of over 300,000 chemicals, including names, synonyms and chemical structures. (https://chem.nlm. nih.gov/chemidplus/) Additional databases on drugs and lactation (LactMed), household products (Household Products Database), occupational diseases (Household Products Database), risk assessment (IRIS and ITER), toxic releases (TRI) were also among those in TOXNET. Users are advised to consult the TOXNET transition page (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/toxnet/index.html) to view the status and accessibility of the databases formerly in TOXNET. Further questions can be addressed via the NLM Customer Support Page (http://support.nlm.nih.gov).
42.7.9 National Pesticide Information Center and their Product Research Online Database National Product Research Online (NPRO) (http://npic.orst.edu/NPRO/) contains information on over 400,000 pesticide products. Data comes from EPA’s Office of Pesticide Program (OPP). NPRO was develop and is housed at the National Pesticide Information Center at Oregon State University (OSU). The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) Web site itself (http://npic.orst.edu) provides links to national and local pesticide regulatory and pest control information on a state-by-state basis, as well as pesticide fact sheets, videos, web apps, podcasts, outreach materials, and more.
42.7.10 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) promotes policies that will improve the economic and social wellbeing of people around the world. Among the free services they provide is eChemPortal
(www.echemportal.org), first launched in 2007. Its data sources are rich in information on chemical and physical properties, environmental fate and behavior, toxicity, and ecotoxicity. Direct links to collections of chemical hazard and risk information prepared for government chemical review programs at national, regional and international levels are provided, as are classifications in relation to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Exposure and use information is also available. One can search via chemical name or identifying number, chemical property, or by classification and labeling criteria. Among the over 30 international databases represented are AGRITOX (French government database on pesticides), EFSA (the chemical hazards database of the European Food Safety Authority), GSBL (the Joint Substance Data Pool of the German Federal Government and Federal States), J-CHECK (the Japan CHEmicals Collaborative Knowledge database), OECD HPV (the OECD Existing Chemicals Database), and SPIN (Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries). The data and information stored in each participating data source are the responsibility of the data owner. The OECD QSAR Toolbox may be used to find information via eChemPortal for a chemical substance whose chemical name is unknown or to find information on chemical substances with a similar structure to a specific chemical.
42.7.11 Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Action Network (PAN) links local and international consumer, labor, health, environment and agriculture groups into an international citizens’ action network. PAN North America is one of five regional centers worldwide. PAN’s Pesticide Database (http://www. pesticideinfo.org/) includes toxicity and regulatory information for pesticides. Although they are an advocacy group committed to a
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42.8 The international legal and regulatory framework
significant reduction of pesticide use and making consumers aware of potential dangers associated with such products, they have produced a useful and objective database on the toxicity of pesticides.
42.7.12 State of New Jersey One of New Jersey’s important workplace health and safety initiatives is their Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets program (http://web.doh.state.nj.us/rtkhsfs/indexfs.aspx). Over 1600 have been completed with over 900 translated into Spanish. They contain information on health hazards, exposure limits, personal protective equipment, proper handling, first aid, and emergency procedures for fires and spills.
42.7.13 US Environmental Protection Agency—ACToR US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Aggregated Computational Toxicology Online Resource (ACToR) (https://actor.epa. gov/actor) aggregates data from thousands of public sources on over 500,000 chemicals. It is searchable by chemical name and other identifiers. In addition, it is the data and web applications warehouse for EPA’s computational toxicology information, which includes highthroughput screening, chemical exposure, sustainable chemistry, and virtual tissues data.
42.8 The international legal and regulatory framework Among the over 50 global and regional multilateral environmental agreements in effect, three in particular share the common objective of broadly protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (http://www.basel.int/)—Created to protect people and the environment from the negative
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effects of the inappropriate management of hazardous wastes worldwide. It is the most comprehensive global treaty addressing hazardous waste materials throughout their lifecycles, from production and transport to final use and disposal. Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (http://www.pic.int/)—Promotes international efforts to protect human health and the environment as well as enabling countries to decide if they want to import hazardous chemicals and pesticides listed in the Convention. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (http://chm.pops.int/)—A global treaty to protect human health and the environment from highly dangerous, long-lasting chemicals by restricting and ultimately eliminating their production, use, trade, release, and storage. Also, the Minamata Convention on Mercury (http://www.mercuryconvention.org/) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. Some highlights include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase out of existing ones, the reduction or elimination of mercury use in various products and processes, and control measures on environmental emissions. To name just a few other treaties and protocols with some relevance to toxicology: Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (and its Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers), Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (including its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement). In addition to these treaties, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) (http://www.saicm. org/) is an overarching policy framework
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42. Toxicology literature, databases, and other online resources
designed to foster the sound management of chemicals. It is based on principles of multistakeholder and multisector engagement and supports the achievement of the goal, first articulated by the World Summit on Sustainable Development, that, by 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. SAICM’s objectives are grouped into five themes: risk reduction; knowledge and information; governance; capacity-building and technical cooperation; and illegal international traffic.
42.9 Social media and blogs Although there is no generally accepted definition, blogs (short for Web logs) are Web pages typically managed by an individual or small group and written in a fairly informal style, although some have the backing of major organizations. They tend to be personal, newsy and, often, opinionated. As with many things on the Web, they are a mixed bag and vary widely in quality. They are generally not subject to any kind of scientific review, although there are exceptions. Some have relatively long life spans and others are quite transient. Below are a few to explore, but don’t be surprised if one or more have folded, or others been newly born, by the time this book is published. The American Academy of Clinical Toxicology Blog (http://www.clintox.org/ blog) The EPA Blog (https://blog.epa.gov/blog/) Evolution in a Toxic World (https:// toxicevolution.wordpress.com/) Human Toxicology Project Consortium (humantoxicologyproject.org/blog) The Poison Review (http://www. thepoisonreview.com/)
The Royal Society of Toxicology/Toxicology Research Blog (http://www.blogs.rsc.org/tx) Society of Toxicology Blogs (available from the SOT home page at https://www. toxicology.org) The Toxicologist Today (http:// thetoxicologisttoday.blogspot.com) ToxNow (a podcast) (http://www.toxnow. org) Social media, as defined by Wikipedia, a social media site itself considering its collaborative nature, are “computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.” Facebook (https://www.facebook.com)— Many of the groups and publications itemized elsewhere in this chapter, including the US Society of Toxicology, also have a Facebook presence, typically more informal, and encouraging open discussion via “posts.” You will find, as well, Facebook pages from individual toxicologists. LinkedIn (https://www.linkedIn.com)—A social network for professionals, akin to an online networking session. A good resource for job listings, including toxicology jobs, as well as following individual individuals and companies. Twitter (https://twitter.com)—An online news and social networking service where users post and interact with messages. Tweets are limited to 140 characters. Wikipedia (https://www.wikipedia.org)— Entries are written collaboratively by largely anonymous volunteers. It is useful and can be reliable but, given the nature of its creation, it is also subject to misinformation so must be used with caution. YouTube (https://www.youtube.com)— A substantial number of videos of all shapes and sizes related to toxicology are accessible on this site.
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42.10 A note about cost of access
Other popular social networks include Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr, Flickr, and Google 1 surely to be joined by the next latest, greatest thing in the next nano-moment.
42.10 A note about cost of access Readers should note that while there is a cost associated with almost all of the books and journals listed earlier, virtually all of the databases are available free of charge, as is other valuable toxicological information
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presented on organizational Web sites. On the other hand, there do exist products from well-respected toxicological groups which are made freely available only to their members or for a fee for nonmembers. Two examples are BIBRA Toxicology Advice and Consulting in the United Kingdom (https://www.bibrainformation.co.uk/) and their TRACE chemical toxicity database and the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) (http://www.rifm.org) and their RIFM Database of toxicology information on fragrance and flavor raw materials.
XIV. Reference materials and websites