Chemical development information resources

Chemical Substances Information Network (CSIN) The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), upon passage in 1976, became part of a complex array of at least 12 pieces of federal legislation concerned with chemicals and their mixtures. This legislation requires the private and public sectors to collect and analyze data and information relevant to the development, use smd disposal of chemical substances. An analysis conducted by EPA identified several hundred information resources that these sectors were using when responding to these needs. It became obvious that a new approach was needed to reduce the burden on organizations for the identification, acquisition and processing of material relevant to chemical substances. 

Handbooks provide fast access to information and are an important information resource in chemical engineering. The number of handbooks in the field is staggering and only a few will be listed here. The content of most is evident from the title. Many of the handbooks are available in electronic format as a growing number of publishers are developing electronic libraries for their reference materials. To find additional titles, search a library catalog or an Internet bookseller s list. 

Each screening center has medicinal and synthetic chemistry expertise in order to optimize hits identified from HTS campaigns and develop them into chemical probes. Specific capabilities vary, however typical strategies employed include parallel synthesis, computational and informatics analysis, and analytical capabilities such as LC/MS techniques. The structures of novel compounds that are prepared, their synthetic protocols, analytical data and biological data are all available, and samples of final probes developed are deposited into the MLSMR. A Working Group comprised of chemists from each center meets regularly to share information, best practices, and insure optimal use of resources. 

There are no occupational exposure limits for many hazardous substances which may require control of inhalation exposures. The necessary data and other resources required for setting such limits is restricted and unlikely to match the potential demand. A hazard categorisation scheme was, therefore, developed for application within the chemical industry. The scheme used readily-available information on toxicological endpoints to place hazardous substances into a limited range of hazard categories, expressed as Occupational Exposure Bands. These Bands could be used as a basis for risk assessment and the selection of appropriate control regimes. 10 refs. EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EUROPEAN UNION UK WESTERN EUROPE... 

---