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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55816-55817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28474]

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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]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P
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