[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 76 (Friday, April 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21135-21136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8167]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[ATSDR-243]


Availability of Two Interaction Profiles [Draft Documents]

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability for public comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of two interaction 
profiles prepared by ATSDR for public comments [draft documents].

DATES: The interaction profiles will be available to the public on or 
about April 15, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The documents will be available on ATSDR's Web site at 
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please submit comments regarding the 
information contained in the profiles to Dr. Hana Pohl, Division of 
Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, Agency for Toxic Substances and 
Disease Registry, Mailstop F-32, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, 
Georgia 30333, telephone (888) 422-8737.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATSDR develops interaction profiles for 
hazardous substances found at the National Priority List (NPL) sites 
under Section 104(i)(3) and (5) of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). This public 
law mandates that ATSDR assess whether or not adequate information on 
health effects is available for priority hazardous substances. Where 
such information is not available or under development, ATSDR shall, in 
cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, initiate a research 
program to determine these health effects. The act further directs 
that, where feasible, ATSDR shall develop methods to determine the 
health effects of these priority hazardous substances in combination 
with other substances commonly found with them.
    To carry out these legislative mandates, ATSDR has developed a 
chemical mixtures program. As part of the mixtures program, ATSDR 
developed a guidance manual that outlines the latest methods for 
mixtures health assessment. In addition, a series of documents called 
``interaction profiles'' is being developed for certain priority 
mixtures that are of special concern to ATSDR. To recommend approaches 
for the exposure-based assessment of the potential hazard to public 
health, an interaction profile evaluates data on the toxicology of the 
whole priority mixture, if available, and on the joint toxic action of 
the chemicals in the mixture.
    The entire interaction profile development process is as follows:
     ATSDR selects substances/chemicals for development of 
interaction profiles through inter/intra agency communications 
collaboration and literature reviews.
     After the selection, a letter is sent to individuals and 
agencies on ATSDR's mailing list providing notice of ATSDR's intent to 
create an interaction profile.
     A notice is posted in the Federal Register to inform the 
public of ATSDR's intent to develop a particular interaction profile.
     The draft interaction profile undergoes both internal and 
external peer review.
     A Federal Register notice announces the release of the 
official draft for public comment.
     ATSDR posts a link to the draft interaction profile on its 
Web site, giving the public an opportunity to provide comments.
     ATSDR reviews all public comments and revises the draft, 
as appropriate, before issuing the final version.
    The following documents will be available to the public on or about 
April 15, 2008.

Document 1

    Interaction Profile for Carbon Monoxide, Formaldehyde, Methylene 
Chloride, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Tetrachloroethylene.

Document 2

    Interaction Profile for Chloroform, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 
Trichloroethylene, and Vinyl Chloride.
    Document 1 evaluates a mixture of chemicals often found in indoor 
air based on the information regarding residential (i.e., background) 
exposures provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Data on 
background exposures can be used for evaluations of total exposures in 
populations living around hazardous waste sites.
    Document 2 evaluates a mixture of volatile organic chemicals. This 
particular mixture was chosen as a subject for the interaction profile 
because these chemicals are among the top 10 chemicals found in water 
around hazardous waste sites. Consequently, they are also encountered 
in combinations.
    The two interaction profiles underwent external peer review. These 
documents were also reviewed by the ATSDR's Interagency Workgroup on 
Mixtures.
    The documents will be available for public comments for 90 days.


[[Page 21136]]


    Dated: April 11, 2008.
Tim Hack,
Deputy Director, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, National 
Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 
Registry.
[FR Doc. E8-8167 Filed 4-17-08; 8:45 am]
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