Interaction Profiles for Toxic Substances

About the Interaction Profiles

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) mandates that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) shall assess whether adequate information on health effects is available for the priority hazardous substances. Where such information is not available or under development, ATSDR shall, in cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, initiate a program of research to determine these health effects. The Act further directs that where feasible, ATSDR shall develop methods to determine the health effects of substances in combination with other substances with which they are commonly found.

To carry out this legislative mandate, ATSDR’s Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (DTHHS) has developed a chemical mixtures program. As part of the mixtures program, ATSDR developed a guidance manual that outlines the latest methods for mixtures assessment. In addition, a series of documents called Interaction Profiles are being developed for certain priority mixtures that are of special concern to ATSDR. The purpose of the Interaction Profile is to evaluate data on the toxicology of the 'whole' priority mixture (if available) and on the joint toxic action of the chemicals in the mixture in order to recommend approaches for the exposure-based assessment of the potential hazard to public health.

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Interaction Manual Information

The ATSDR Interaction Profile succintly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for mixtures of hazardous substances. Each peer-reviewed profile identifies and reviews the key literature that describes toxicologic properties of the featured mixtures. Other pertinent literature is also presented, but is described in less detail than the key studies. The complete list of topics covered (chapter titles) is shown on each individual Interaction Profile page.

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Interaction Profile Access

In order to access the ATSDR interaction profiles' PDF files , you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader.

You may download that program for free from this link to Adobe and then use it to access (open) the files that are labeled as PDF files.

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Public Comment period

Although key studies for each of the 'Draft' Interaction Profiles were considered during the profile development process, ATSDR solicited additional studies and comments, which were evaluated for possible addition to the 'Final' Profiles.

Check the individual interaction profile Web pages listed below for the exact dates that apply to that specific profile.

Send one copy of all written comments and three copies of all supporting documents by the end of the comment period to

Hana Pohl, M.D.., Ph.D
Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (DTHHS),
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop F-57
Atlanta, GA 30333

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Contact ATSDR

Further information can be obtained by contacting the ATSDR Information Center at:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-57
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: Contact CDC-INFO

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Final Interaction Profiles

• Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead
• Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes
• Lead, Manganese, Zinc, Copper
• Persistent chemicals found in breast milk
• Persistent chemicals found in fish
• 1,1,1-TCE, 1,1-DCE, TCE, PERC
• Cesium, Cobalt, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Strontium, and Trichloroethylene
• Arsenic, Hydrazines, Jet Fuels, Strontium-90, and Trichloroethylene
• Cyanide, Fluoride, Nitrate, and Uranium
• Atrazine, Deethylatrazine, Diazinon, Nitrate, and Simazine
• Chlorpyrifos, Lead, Mercury, and Methylmercury

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Draft Interaction Profiles

• Carbon Monoxide, Formaldehyde, Methylene Chloride, Nitrogen Dioxide, Tetrachloroethylene
• Chloroform, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, Trichloroethylene, and Vinyl Chloride
• Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, and Phthalates

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Guidance Document

• Guidance Manual for the Assessment of the Joint Toxic Action of Chemical Mixtures

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Guidance Manual Information

The Guidance Manual for the Assessment of Joint Toxic Action of Chemical Mixtures is intended to assist environmental health scientists and toxicologists in determining whether exposure to chemical mixtures at hazardous waste sites may impact public health. It serves a basis for interaction profiles, as the basis for health assessments and health consultations. The systematic method outlined in the Guidance Manual integrates ATSDR’s interaction profiles, toxicological profiles, and research on chemical mixtures into a practical screening approach for potential health hazards. The conclusions from this exposure-based screening assessment of mixture hazard can then be taken into account along with biomedical judgment, the community-specific health outcome data, and community health concerns, to determine the public health implications and follow-up activities for a hazardous waste site. The complete list of topics covered (chapter titles) is shown on the Guidance Manual Information page.

Interaction Profile Guidance

• Interaction Profile Guidance [PDF, 612 KB]

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