Methodology for selecting substances for the National Exposure Registry

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Toxicology
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• Pervasive chemical contamination at national waste sites necessitates better understanding of human health impacts.
• Limited data exists on health outcomes from long-term, low-level exposure to common environmental contaminants.
• The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) identified a need for systematic exposure tracking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the National Exposure Registry to address data gaps in human health outcomes related to environmental chemical exposures.
• To develop a systematic method for selecting priority chemical substances for detailed study within the registry.
• To create substance-specific subregistries for critical environmental contaminants.

Main Methods:

• Development of a substance ranking scheme by ATSDR using decision analysis.
• Incorporation of current data on substances found at known ATSDR waste sites.
• Establishment of four general subregistries: volatile organic compounds, dioxins, heavy metals, and radioactive substances.

Main Results:

• A robust ranking scheme was successfully developed and implemented by ATSDR.
• The National Exposure Registry now includes four specialized subregistries based on contaminant type.
• The registry focuses on individuals exposed to specific primary contaminants identified through the ranking process.

Conclusions:

• The National Exposure Registry provides a framework for investigating health effects of environmental exposures.
• The developed ranking scheme effectively prioritizes chemical substances for public health surveillance.
• The registry's subregistries facilitate targeted research on specific contaminant exposures and associated health outcomes.