Toxicological Evaluations

Resources

Modules and Training Videos

• Public Health Assessment Training (PHAT) Module 7: Health Effects Evaluation - In this online and interactive module, you will learn how to conduct each step of the health effects evaluation to decide whether harmful effects are possible in exposed populations.
• Understanding How Benchmark Dose (BMD) Analysis Is Used in Health Assessments - In this recorded webinar you will learn basic information about the toxicology behind deriving benchmark dose analysis- The webinar provides an example of how to use BMD results using 1,2,3-trichloropropane. You can find the webinar on PHAST's resource page under the "PHA Training" category. To gain access to PHAST, send a request to phast@cdc.gov.

Guidance

• Public Health Assessment Guidance Manual (PHAGM) Sections:
  • In Depth Toxicological Effects Analysis - In this PHAGM section, you will learn about the various components of a toxicological evaluation, including understanding the basis of the minimal risk level, comparing site-specific doses and air concentrations to effect levels, and making decisions about possible health effects
  • Identify Data from Studies Used to Develop Non-Cancer Health Guidelines - In this PHAGM section, you will learn the process for reviewing the studies used to develop health guidelines for non-cancer health effects.
  • Evaluate the Evidence to Examine Non-Cancer Effects - In this section of PHAGM, you will learn how to compare site-specific doses and concentrations with effect levels from important studies. These studies are used to derive health guidelines.
  • Evaluate the Evidence to Examine Cancer Effects - In this section you will learn how to determine whether cancer effects could be possible at your site for contaminants based on your estimated site-specific cancer risks. You will also learn whether cancer effects could be possible for known or suspected carcinogens with no available cancer potency factors (also called cancer risk values) to calculate cancer risks.
  • Review Toxicological Data for Other Health Effects with Doses or Air Concentrations Similar to Those for Your Site - In this PHAGM section you will learn how to review toxicological data from the toxicological profile to determine if other health effects might be possible, besides those effects associated with the health guideline.
  • Review Other Contaminant-Specific Toxicological Information - This PHAGM section, provides you with an overview of how to examine factors that influence whether an exposure to a contaminant could produce harmful health effects.
• Basic Introduction for Dose Determination from Radioactive Materials - This ATSDR document will help you understand the radiological terms used by ATSDR health physicists. It provides a brief discussion of risk assessment as it pertains to radiation.
• Guidance for Inhalation Exposures to Particulate Matter - Refer to this guidance for information on how to evaluate acute and chronic particulate matter (PM) data using the Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) from the World Health Organization.
  

Tools

• ATSDR's Public Health Assessment Site Tool (PHAST) - This web-based application will assist you to evaluate environmental data and perform complex dose calculations – In PHAST, you will find
  • Calculators for drinking water, soil/sediment ingestion, biota intake, and inhalation exposures,
  • A module that will allow you to screen contaminants using ATSDR comparison values,
  • A database with health guideline information, such as minimal risk levels, reference doses, and reference concentration, and
  • A resource page that includes training videos, guidance documents, and tools that you can use as you go through the public health assessment process. To gain access to PHAST, send a request to phast@cdc.gov.
  • You can find a user’s guide on the PHAST resource page with information on how to use all the features of PHAST.
• Checklist for the In-Depth Toxicological Effects Analysis - Use this checklist for a list of action items needed to conduct the in-depth toxicological effects analysis.
• Sample Toxicological Profile LSE Table and Figure - Refer to this example of a level of significant exposure (LSE) table and figure, as presented in ATSDR's toxicological profiles.

Other Resources

• Cancer Classification System - Refer to this document for a description of the cancer classification systems used by
  • the National Toxicology Program in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
  • the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and
  • the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
• United States Cancer Statistics: Data Visualizations – CDC - Visit this CDC website for information on U.S. cancer incidence rates.
• Framework for Assessing Health Impacts of Multiple Chemicals and Other Stressors - Refer to this manual, that serves as a supplement to PHAGM, to find information on a recommended process to evaluate the potential public health impacts of exposures to multiple chemicals and other stressors. The manual describes ATSDR's three-tiered approach for evaluating chemical mixtures.