http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/toxnetfs.html
Fact Sheet
Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program
The Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) evolved
from the Toxicology Information Program (TIP) that was established in 1967 at
the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in response to recommendations made in
the 1966 report "Handling of Toxicological Information," prepared by the
President's Science Advisory Committee. The TIP objectives were to: (1) create
automated toxicology data banks, and (2) provide toxicology information and
data services. In the mid-1990's, the mission of TIP was expanded to include
environmental health. TEHIP, by creating, organizing, and disseminating
toxicology and environmental health information, now serves as a premier
information portal for resources in these subject areas. TEHIP maintains a
comprehensive toxicology and environmental health web site that includes access
to resources produced by TEHIP and by other government agencies and
organizations. This web site includes links to databases, bibliographies,
tutorials, and other scientific and consumer-oriented resources. TEHIP also is
responsible for the Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET®), an integrated system of
toxicology and environmental health databases that are available free of charge
on the web. The following databases are available for searching via TOXNET:
HSDB® (Hazardous Substances Data Bank) is a comprehensive, scientifically
reviewed, factual database containing records for over 4500 toxic or
potentially toxic chemicals. It contains extensive information in such areas as
toxicity, environmental fate, human exposure, chemical safety, waste disposal,
emergency handling, and regulatory requirements. The data are taken from a core
set of monographs augmented with government documents, special reports, and
primary journal literature. TOXLINE® is a bibliographic database covering the
biochemical, pharmacological, physiological, and toxicological effects of drugs
and other chemicals. It contains over 3 million citations, almost all with
abstracts and/or index terms and CAS Registry Numbers. TOXLINE references are
drawn from various sources grouped into two major parts--TOXLINE Core and
TOXLINE Special, both of which operate under versatile search engines offering
a variety of search and display capabilities. ChemIDplus provides access to
structure and nomenclature information for the identification of chemical
substances cited in NLM databases. IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System) is
an online database built by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It
contains EPA carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment and
regulatory information on over 500 chemicals. The risk assessment data have
been scientifically reviewed by groups of EPA scientists and represent EPA
consensus. IRIS also contains literature references. TRI (Toxic Chemical
Release Inventory) contains information on the annual estimated releases of
toxic chemicals to the environment for the reporting years 1995-2000. This
series of files is mandated by the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act and is based upon data submitted to the EPA from industrial
facilities around the country. Data include names and addresses of the
facilities, and the amount of certain toxic chemicals they release to the air,
water, or land, or transfer to waste sites. There is information on over 650
chemicals and chemical categories. Pollution prevention data is also reported
by each facility for each chemical. CCRIS (Chemical Carcinogenesis Research
Information System) is a factual data bank sponsored by the National Cancer
Institute. It contains evaluated data and information, derived from both short
and long-term bioassays on over 8,000 chemicals. Studies relate to carcinogens,
mutagens, tumor promoters, cocarcinogens, metabolites and inhibitors of
carcinogens. GENE-TOX is a data bank created by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) with genetic toxicology test results on over 3,000 chemicals. In
the field of genetic toxicology, selected mutagenicity assay systems and the
source literature are reviewed by work panels of scientific experts for each of
the test systems under evaluation, and the GENE-TOX data bank is the product of
these data review activities. Each test system in GENE-TOX has been peer
reviewed and is referenced. DART®/ETIC (Developmental and Reproductive
Toxicology/Environmental Teratology Information Center) is a bibliographic
database covering teratology and developmental toxicology literature published
since 1950. The TOXNET "Multiple Databases" option allows for simultaneous
searching of HSDB, IRIS, CCRIS, and GENE-TOX.
In addition to TOXNET, other toxicology and environmental health-related web
resources available from TEHIP include:
Tox Town An interactive guide to commonly encountered toxic substances, your
health, and the environment. It uses color, graphics, sounds and animation to
convey connections between chemicals, the environment, and the public's health.
Tox Town is designed to provide facts on toxic chemicals found in everyday
locations, information about how the environment can impact human health,
non-technical descriptions of chemicals, links to authoritative chemical
information on the Internet, and Internet resources on environmental health
topics. Tox Town's target audience is students above elementary-school level,
educators, and the general public. It is a companion to the extensive
information in the TOXNET collection of databases that are typically used by
toxicologists and health professionals. Tox Town also offers some resources in
Spanish (http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/espanol/). Haz-Map An occupational
toxicology database designed primarily for health and safety professionals, but
also for consumers seeking information about the health effects of exposure to
chemicals at work. It links jobs and hazardous tasks with occupational
diseases and their symptoms. The approximately 1,000 chemicals and biological
agents in the database are related to industrial processes and other activities
such as hobbies. The linkage indicates the potential for exposure to the
agents. The 180 occupational diseases and their symptoms are associated with
hazardous job tasks. This association indicates an increased risk for
significant exposure and subsequent disease. ALTBIB Since 1992, TEHIP has
produced the quarterly bibliography of methods and procedures helpful in
supporting the development, testing, application, and validation of
alternatives to the use of vertebrates in biomedical research and toxicology
testing. These multiple bibliographies of Alternatives to the Use of Live
Vertebrates in Biomedical Research and Testing have now been combined into one
easily searchable database containing all 10 years of data. DIRLINE®. DIRLINE
(Directory of Information Resources Online) is an online directory of over
9,000 health-related organizations and other resources which are willing to
respond to public inquiries in their specialty areas, including toxicology and
environmental health organizations.TEHIP is part of the Specialized Information
Services (SIS) Division of NLM. SIS is responsible for information resources
and services in toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, HIV/AIDS, and
specialized topics in minority health. SIS provides access to online databases,
responds to queries, produces bibliographies and other publications, and works
with other Federal government agencies to provide health information to the
world. For more detailed information about SIS programs, please see our most
recent annual report.
Further Information
Inquiries about the Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program
should be addressed to: National Library of Medicine
Specialized Information Services
Two Democracy Plaza, Suite 510
6707 Democracy Boulevard, MSC 5467
Bethesda, MD 20892-5467
Telephone: (301) 496-1131
FAX (301) 480-3537
e-mail: [email hidden]
URL: http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/Tox/ToxMain.html
For general information on NLM services, contact: National Library of Medicine
Customer Service
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
Telephone: 1-888-FINDNLM (1-888-346-3656)
e-mail: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/contacts/contact.html
A complete list of NLM Fact Sheets is available at:
(alphabetical list) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/factsheets.html
(subject list): http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/factsubj.html
Or write to: FACT SHEETS
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20894
Phone: (301) 496-6308
Fax: (301) 496-4450
email: [email hidden]