Have You Visited the CompTox Dashboard?
The Environmental Protection Agency recently released an updated version of its CompTox Dashboard, their “one stop shop” for information on chemicals. States may have questions about unfamiliar chemicals or even common chemicals where they just need more information. The Dashboard is a good resource. Users search by chemical name, CAS number, or even synonym to access data and links to other information about the chemical in question. This includes information on exposure, ADME (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion), human hazard, and detailed chemistry data. The site will also link users to recent scientific literature about the chemicals. Data can be viewed online or downloaded for further analysis. The site is regularly updated with new data and new tools to help the users understand the chemicals better.
So, check it out with a chemical of interest and become familiar with the resource. When that question comes in on a Friday afternoon, you will be ready to find the answers quickly – and maybe still get to leave before 5:00!