Chemical Safety
Innovations in chemistry have helped improve our quality of life in various ways for centuries.
Chemicals support agriculture by helping people produce and raise healthy products and animals. Thanks to chemistry, food can be stored and packaged safely and efficiently. Chemistry has also provided us with products that can help prevent or control the spread of diseases, effectively clean our homes, and disinfect medical equipment.
Innovations in chemistry have made it possible to produce lighter and more fuel-efficient cars; building materials can be made more durable and flexible; and electronic devices like cell phones, computers, and televisions have increased functionality to meet today's consumers' technology needs.
Although chemistry can provide countless benefits to society, we must manage how chemicals are used in a safe and responsible manner. To do this, we must consider current scientific knowledge.
To determine the safety of a chemical substance, researchers and experts primarily rely on two fundamental categories of information:
- The potency or hazardous nature of the chemical; and
- The degree of exposure to the chemical.
The presence of a chemical component in a product does not automatically mean it will cause harm. Any substance, even water, can be toxic if consumed or absorbed in excess. The potential harmful effects of a particular substance depend on various factors, including how much of the substance a person is exposed to, the route of exposure, and the duration of exposure.
Understanding Potentials or Hazards Requires Robust and Verified Research
So, how do scientists determine which types of exposures might have the potential to cause harm?
The foundation for making sound decisions regarding the use, safety, and development of chemicals is rigorous scientific research.
Experimental Studies
Useful scientific evidence regarding the effects of chemical exposures can be obtained from various experimental studies. Some of these studies are conducted in test tubes or petri dishes; within entire living organisms (e.g., rodents); or increasingly using computer models. Because these studies allow researchers to precisely control exposure conditions, they can produce reliable and easily interpretable data.
Epidemiological Studies
Another type of evidence is derived from observational studies conducted on individuals exposed to chemicals in workplaces, accidental events, or daily environments. These studies are also referred to as "epidemiological studies."
Such studies search for patterns of disease and exposure in human populations using data from various sources, including employment records, surveys, health studies, medical or death records, and other sources. Historically, epidemiological studies on individuals with unusually high exposure to certain substances (e.g., asbestos) have been critical in identifying relationships with specific diseases.
In both types of studies, it is critical to look at the entirety of the research to draw conclusions about the safety of using a particular chemical or substance.
