Toxicity and Ecotoxicity
Sections 11 + 12

1. How do I enter toxicity and ecotoxicity data from a Substance record into my actual SDS?

   • Populate the Toxicity table in the actual substance record with available toxicity data.  And then you can paste the actual value into the applicable text box in the SDS (e.g., Acute toxicity).  

   • Please watch the video:

2. How do I obtain toxicity and ecotoxicity data?

• • SDScribe™ includes links to some governmental websites with such data.  ECHA also valuable information in its Brief Profiles. Some of these links have been programmed into SDScribe™ (although we cannot guarantee they will be maintained since they are controlled by others).  From the substance record, select the website you would like to go to.  The image below illustrates how to access the eChemPortal for Boron nitride (left image) and the OECD website for Boron nitride (right image).  The OECD portal provides access to a number of other sites.  

  • Data from these sites can be typed into the substance record itself.  See the example below for the Toxicity table in the substance record of glycerol.  The Toxicity table can be populated by either collecting relevant data from other reliable SDSs of the pure product or going to sources of data, such as these described above. 

  • Links to some sources are listed here:

    • • TOXNET (U.S. National Library of Medicine), a resource for searching databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases

      • GESTIS DNEL Database

        • GESTIS is the Information system on hazardous substances of the German Social Accident Insurance Sources of Derived No Effect Level (DNEL), etc. o For the registration of each substance under the European chemicals regulation REACH, manufacturers or importers have to quote assessment benchmarks on which the protective measures are based. Among these assessment yardsticks are Derived No-Effect Levels (DNELs). The REACH regulation defines them as exposure levels beneath which a substance does not harm human health. o Very good source of overall SDS data (i.e., physical data, toxicology and ecotoxicology with references listed) o Includes German Occupational Exposure Limits and RECOMMENDATIONS OF MAK-COMMISSION 

      • OECD eChemPortal

      • Household Products Database (US Department of Health and Human Services).  Can look up ingredients in common products

3.  Where do I find carcinogen lists?

• A good summary is found here: https://www.acgih.org/docs/default-source/survey/notations-survey_ref-2.pdf?sfvrsn=6230bf0d_2

• IARC List: List of Classifications – IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans (who.int)

• NTP Report on Carcinogens: 14th Report on Carcinogens (nih.gov)

• OSHA Carcinogens: Carcinogens - Standards | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

• ACGIH List: Digital Publications (acgih.org) – 2021 revision of TLV and BEI lists for purchase; they do not have carcinogen-specific lists available on the website outside of these

4. How do I know which resource to use?

• • Within the US National Library of Sciences, here is a useful link.

    • For animal toxicity: HSDB

    • Developmental and reproductive toxicity TOXLINE® or DART®

    • Ecotoxicity (source data.  HSDB summarizes data).: Ecotox database

    • Finnish environmental properties database

    • CCRIS database contains chemical records with carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, tumor promotion, and tumor inhibition test results. It was developed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). 

      • information on AMES test

5. Where do I add "Delayed and immediate effects and also chronic effects from short- and long-term exposure"

• • You can consider adding the specific information in the applicable section (e.g., Skin corrosion/irritation) or perhaps under Additional information (Tab 11.3) 

6.  What is the meaning of some of the experimental toxicity values (Wiki)?

• • no-observed-adverse-effect level, NOAEL

  • Lowest-observed-adverse-effect level, LOAEL

  • Maximum tolerable concentration, MTC, LC0; Maximum tolerable dose, MTD, LD0

  • Minimum lethal concentration, LCmin; Minimum lethal dose, LDmin

  • Median lethal concentration, LC50; Median lethal dose, LD50; Median lethal time, LT50

  • Absolute lethal concentration, LC100; Absolute lethal dose, LD100

7. How does quick entry work (see image below)?

• • This includes some of the data elements to add into the Toxicity table to help save you time.  You can add your own quick entries or edit existing ones by clicking on "Edit" button