Availability of Draft Toxicological Profiles

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[ATSDR-128]

Availability of Draft Toxicological Profiles

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR),

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments

and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) (42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(3)) directs

the Administrator of ATSDR to prepare toxicological profiles of

priority hazardous substances and to revise and publish each updated

toxicological profile as necessary. This notice announces the

availability of ten updated drafts and three new draft toxicological

profiles, comprising the 11th set, prepared by ATSDR for review and

comment.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments on these draft toxicological

profiles must be received on or before February 17, 1998. Comments

received after the close of the public comment period will be

considered at the discretion of ATSDR based upon what is deemed to be

in the best interest of the general public.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the draft toxicological profiles or

comments regarding the draft toxicological profiles should be sent to

the attention of Ms. Loretta Norman, Division of Toxicology, Agency for

Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop E-29, 1600 Clifton

Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333.

Requests for the draft toxicological profiles must be in writing,

and must specifically identify the hazardous substance(s) profile(s)

that you wish to receive. ATSDR reserves the right to provide only one

copy of each profile requested, free of charge. In case of extended

distribution delays, requestors will be notified.

Written comments and other data submitted in response to this

notice and the draft toxicological profiles should bear the docket

control number ATSDR-128. Send one copy of all comments and three

copies of all supporting documents to the Division of Toxicology at the

above address by the end of the comment period. Because all public

comments regarding ATSDR toxicological profiles are available for

public inspection after the profile is published in final, no

confidential business information should be submitted in response to

this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Loretta Norman, Division of

Toxicology, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop

E-29, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (404)

639-6322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization

Act (SARA) (Pub. L. 99-499) amends the Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) (42

U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) by establishing certain responsibilities for the

ATSDR and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with regard to

hazardous substances which are most commonly found at facilities on the

CERCLA National Priorities List (NPL). Among these statutory provisions

is that the Administrator of ATSDR prepare toxicological profiles for

substances included on the priority lists of hazardous substances.

These lists identified 275 hazardous substances that ATSDR and EPA

determined pose the most significant potential threat to human health.

The availability of the revised priority list of 275 hazardous

substances was announced in the Federal Register on April 29, 1996 (61

FR 18744 ). For prior versions of the list of substances see Federal

Register notices dated April 17, 1987 (52 FR 12866); October 20, 1988

(53 FR 41280); October 26, 1989 (54 FR 43619); October 17, 1990 (55 FR

42067); October 17, 1991 (56 FR 52166); October 28, 1992 (57 FR 48801);

and February 28, 1994 (59 FR 9486). CERCLA also requires ATSDR to

assure the initiation of a research program to fill data needs

associated with the substances.

Section 104(i)(3) of CERCLA (42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(3)) outlines the

content of

[[Page 55817]]

these profiles. Each profile will include an examination, summary and

interpretation of available toxicological information and epidemiologic

evaluations. This information and these data are to be used to

ascertain the levels of significant human exposure for the substance

and the associated health effects. The profiles must also include a

determination of whether adequate information on the health effects of

each substance is available or in the process of development. When

adequate information is not available, ATSDR, in cooperation with the

National Toxicology Program (NTP), is required to assure the initiation

of research to determine these health effects.

Although key studies for each of the substances were considered

during the profile development process, this Federal Register notice

seeks to solicit any additional studies, particularly unpublished data

and ongoing studies, which will be evaluated for possible addition to

the profiles now or in the future.

The following draft toxicological profiles will be made available

to the public on or about October 17, 1997.

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Document Hazardous substance CAS No.

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1......................... ALUMINUM...................... 007429-90-5

ALUMINUM CHLORIDE............. 007446-70-0

ALUMINUM CHLOROHYDRATE........ 001327-41-9

............................ 11097-68-0

............................ 4861-98-3

ALUMINUM LACTATE.............. 18917-91-4

ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE............ 021645-51-2

ALUMINUM OXIDE................ 001344-28-1

ALUMINUM NITRATE.............. 13473-90-0

ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE............ 007784-30-7

ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE............ 020859-73-8

ALUMINUM FLUORIDE............. 007784-18-1

ALUMINUM SULFATE.............. 010043-01-3

2......................... CHLOROETHANE.................. 000075-00-3

3......................... CHLOROMETHANE................. 000074-87-3

4......................... 1,2-DICHLOROBENZENE........... 000095-50-1

1,3-DICHLOROBENZENE........... 000541-73-1

1,4-DICHLOROBENZENE........... 000106-46-7

CHLOROBENZENE................. 000108-90-7

DICHLOROBENZENE 025321-22-6...

5......................... 3,3,-DICHLOROBENZIDINE........ 00091-94-1

6......................... 2,4-DINITROTOLUENE............ 000121-14-2

2,6-DINITROTOLUENE............ 000606-20-2

7......................... ETHYL BENZENE................. 000100-41-4

8......................... HEXANE........................ 000110-54-3

9......................... LEAD.......................... 007439-02-1

10........................ MERCURY....................... 007439-97-6

MERCURIC (II) ACETATE......... 001600-27-7

MERCURIC (II) SULFIDE......... 001134-48-5

MERCURIC (I) CHLORIDE......... 010112-91-1

METHYLMERCURIC CHLORIDE....... 000115-09-3

PHENYLMERCURIC ACETATE........ 000062-38-4

11........................ PHENOL........................ 000108-95-2

12........................ SULFURIC ACID................. 007664-93-9

SULFUR TRIOXIDE............... 007446-11-9

13........................ SULFUR DIOXIDE................ 007446-09-5

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In regards to the draft Toxicological Profile for Mercury, it

should be noted that the EPA is currently in the process of developing

a comprehensive assessment of the potential adverse effects of mercury

emissions on human health and wildlife. In addition, ATSDR is also

aware of a number of other ongoing studies which are investigating the

potential for human health effects from mercury exposure. Because of

these special circumstances, ATSDR will monitor these efforts very

closely during the public comment period; any meaningful and compelling

information from these efforts will be critically evaluated for

incorporation into the final Toxicological Profile for Mercury, as

appropriate.

All profiles issued as ``Drafts for Public Comment'' represent

ATSDR's best efforts to provide important toxicological information on

priority hazardous substances. We are seeking public comments and

additional information which may be used to supplement these profiles.

ATSDR remains committed to providing a public comment period for these

documents as a means to best serve public health and our clients.

Dated: October 22, 1997.

Georgi Jones,

Director, Office of Policy and External Affairs, Agency for Toxic

Substances and Disease Registry.

[FR Doc. 97-28474 Filed 10-27-97; 8:45 am]

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