Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century

Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309109922
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 217

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Book Description
Advances in molecular biology and toxicology are paving the way for major improvements in the evaluation of the hazards posed by the large number of chemicals found at low levels in the environment. The National Research Council was asked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the state of the science and create a far-reaching vision for the future of toxicity testing. The book finds that developing, improving, and validating new laboratory tools based on recent scientific advances could significantly improve our ability to understand the hazards and risks posed by chemicals. This new knowledge would lead to much more informed environmental regulations and dramatically reduce the need for animal testing because the new tests would be based on human cells and cell components. Substantial scientific efforts and resources will be required to leverage these new technologies to realize the vision, but the result will be a more efficient, informative and less costly system for assessing the hazards posed by industrial chemicals and pesticides.

Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century

Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309109922
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 217

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Book Description
Advances in molecular biology and toxicology are paving the way for major improvements in the evaluation of the hazards posed by the large number of chemicals found at low levels in the environment. The National Research Council was asked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the state of the science and create a far-reaching vision for the future of toxicity testing. The book finds that developing, improving, and validating new laboratory tools based on recent scientific advances could significantly improve our ability to understand the hazards and risks posed by chemicals. This new knowledge would lead to much more informed environmental regulations and dramatically reduce the need for animal testing because the new tests would be based on human cells and cell components. Substantial scientific efforts and resources will be required to leverage these new technologies to realize the vision, but the result will be a more efficient, informative and less costly system for assessing the hazards posed by industrial chemicals and pesticides.

Toxicity Testing for Assessment of Environmental Agents

Toxicity Testing for Assessment of Environmental Agents PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309164869
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
Toxicity testing in laboratory animals provides much of the information used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess the hazards and risks associated with exposure to environmental agents that might harm public health or the environment. The data are used to establish maximum acceptable concentrations of environmental agents in drinking water, set permissible limits of exposure of workers, define labeling requirements, establish tolerances for pesticides residues on food, and set other kinds of limits on the basis of risk assessment. Because the number of regulations that require toxicity testing is growing, EPA called for a comprehensive review of established and emerging toxicity-testing methods and strategies. This interim report reviews current toxicity-testing methods and strategies and near-term improvements in toxicity-testing approaches proposed by EPA and others. It identifies several recurring themes and questions in the various reports reviewed. The final report will present a long-range vision and strategic plan to advance the practices of toxicity testing and human health assessment of environmental contaminants.

Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment

Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 030904894X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 668

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Book Description
The public depends on competent risk assessment from the federal government and the scientific community to grapple with the threat of pollution. When risk reports turn out to be overblownâ€"or when risks are overlookedâ€"public skepticism abounds. This comprehensive and readable book explores how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can improve its risk assessment practices, with a focus on implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. With a wealth of detailed information, pertinent examples, and revealing analysis, the volume explores the "default option" and other basic concepts. It offers two views of EPA operations: The first examines how EPA currently assesses exposure to hazardous air pollutants, evaluates the toxicity of a substance, and characterizes the risk to the public. The second, more holistic, view explores how EPA can improve in several critical areas of risk assessment by focusing on cross-cutting themes and incorporating more scientific judgment. This comprehensive volume will be important to the EPA and other agencies, risk managers, environmental advocates, scientists, faculty, students, and concerned individuals.

Short-term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms

Short-term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Effluent quality
Languages : en
Pages : 380

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Book Description


Methods for Measuring the Toxicity and Bioaccumulation of Sediment-associated Contaminants with Freshwater Invertebrates

Methods for Measuring the Toxicity and Bioaccumulation of Sediment-associated Contaminants with Freshwater Invertebrates PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Freshwater invertebrates
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
Sediment contamination is a widespread environmental problem that can potentially pose a threat to a variety of aquatic ecosystems. The sediment test methods in this manual will be used by The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to make decisions under a range of statutory authorities concerning such issues as: dredged material disposal, registration of pesticides and toxic substances, superfound site assessment, and assessment and cleanup of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. The use of uniform sediment testing procedures by USEPA programs is expected to increase data accuracy and precision, facilitate test replication, increase the comparative value of test results, and ultimately, increase the efficiency of regulatory processes requiring sediment tests.

Methods for Acute Toxicity Tests with Fish, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphibians

Methods for Acute Toxicity Tests with Fish, Macroinvertebrates, and Amphibians PDF Author: Committee on Methods for Toxicity Tests with Aquatic Organisms
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aquatic animals
Languages : en
Pages : 82

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Book Description


Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children

Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309048753
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 402

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Book Description
Many of the pesticides applied to food crops in this country are present in foods and may pose risks to human health. Current regulations are intended to protect the health of the general population by controlling pesticide use. This book explores whether the present regulatory approaches adequately protect infants and children, who may differ from adults in susceptibility and in dietary exposures to pesticide residues. The committee focuses on four major areas: Susceptibility: Are children more susceptible or less susceptible than adults to the effects of dietary exposure to pesticides? Exposure: What foods do infants and children eat, and which pesticides and how much of them are present in those foods? Is the current information on consumption and residues adequate to estimate exposure? Toxicity: Are toxicity tests in laboratory animals adequate to predict toxicity in human infants and children? Do the extent and type of toxicity of some chemicals vary by species and by age? Assessing risk: How is dietary exposure to pesticide residues associated with response? How can laboratory data on lifetime exposures of animals be used to derive meaningful estimates of risk to children? Does risk accumulate more rapidly during the early years of life? This book will be of interest to policymakers, administrators of research in the public and private sectors, toxicologists, pediatricians and other health professionals, and the pesticide industry.

Applications of Toxicogenomic Technologies to Predictive Toxicology and Risk Assessment

Applications of Toxicogenomic Technologies to Predictive Toxicology and Risk Assessment PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309112982
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 300

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Book Description
The new field of toxicogenomics presents a potentially powerful set of tools to better understand the health effects of exposures to toxicants in the environment. At the request of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Research Council assembled a committee to identify the benefits of toxicogenomics, the challenges to achieving them, and potential approaches to overcoming such challenges. The report concludes that realizing the potential of toxicogenomics to improve public health decisions will require a concerted effort to generate data, make use of existing data, and study data in new waysâ€"an effort requiring funding, interagency coordination, and data management strategies.

Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater and Marine Organisms

Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater and Marine Organisms PDF Author:
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428905375
Category : Water quality biological assessment
Languages : en
Pages : 275

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Book Description


Intentional Human Dosing Studies for EPA Regulatory Purposes

Intentional Human Dosing Studies for EPA Regulatory Purposes PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309166411
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Book Description
The EPA commissioned The National Academies to provide advice on the vexing question of whether and, if so, under what circumstances EPA should accept and consider intentional human dosing studies conducted by companies or other sources outside the agency (so-called third parties) to gather evidence relating to the risks of a chemical or the conditions under which exposure to it could be judged safe. This report recommends that such studies be conducted and used for regulatory purposes only if all of several strict conditions are met, including the following: The study is necessary and scientifically valid, meaning that it addresses an important regulatory question that can't be answered with animal studies or nondosing human studies; The societal benefits of the study outweigh any anticipated risks to participants. At no time, even when benefits beyond improved regulation exist, can a human dosing study be justified that is anticipated to cause lasting harm to study participants; and All recognized ethical standards and procedures for protecting the interests of study participants are observed. In addition, EPA should establish a Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) to evaluate all human dosing studiesâ€"both at the beginning and upon completion of the experimentsâ€"if they are carried out with the intent of affecting the agency's policy-making.