Sources of Scientific
Information in The Web
Salah A. Soliman
Professor of Pesticide Chemistry and
Toxicology
Alexandria University
Email: samsoliman@link.net
October, 2002
International Organizations
World Health Organization (WHO):
WHO is the international body that created
to take all possible actions to prevent and
control diseases globally. The web site of
the WHO contains lots of document and
reports beside the library which
considered as the richest source of health
related information.
www.who.int
The International Program on Chemical
Safety (IPCS):
The IPCS is a joint venture of UNEP, ILO, and who.
Its objectives are to establish the scientific bases
for assessment of the risk to human health and the
environment from exposure to chemicals, through
international peer review processes, as a
prerequisite for the promotion of chemical safety,
and to provide technical assistance in
strengthening national capacities for the sound
management of chemicals. The Environmental
Health Criteria (EHCs) and Concise International
Chemical Assessment Documents (CICADs) series
as well as the International Chemical Safety Cards
(ICSCs) are among the information packages
disseminated by IPCS.
www.who.int/pcs
International Forum on Chemical
Safety (IFCS):
IFCS is a unique, over-arching
mechanism to develop and promote
strategies and partnerships among
national governments,
intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. Developed
and suggested strategies and plans on
chemical safety may be discussed or
obtained through IFCS site.
www.who.int/ifcs
The International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC):
IARC conducts a program of research
concentrating particularly on the
epidemiology of cancer and the study of
potential carcinogens in the human
environment. The publications of the
Agency are intended to contribute to the
dissemination of authoritative information
on different aspects of cancer research.
www.iarc.fr/
Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO):
FAO was founded in 1945 with a mandate
to raise levels of nutrition and standards of
living, to improve agriculture productivity,
and to better the condition of rural
populations.
A whole lot of information covering all
aspects of agricultural activities and
development are disseminated by FAO
and its library.
www.fao.org
The Joint Meeting on Pesticide
Residues (JMPR):
JMPR serves as a scientific advisory body
to FAO, WHO, their member governments,
and to the Codex Alimentarius
Commission. It performs a vital function in
providing a reliable source of advice, and
some countries use information from
JMPR in formulating their own regulatory
programs.
www.who/pcs/jmpr
The Inter-Organization Program for the
Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC):
IOMC was established in 1995 as a joint venture
of UNEP, ILO, FAO, WHO, the UN Industrial
Development Organization, and the
Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD).
IOMC is to promote coordination of the policies
and activities pursued by the Participating
Organizations to achieve the sound
management of chemicals in relation to human
health and the environment. It provides an
Internet Guide to the activities and programs of
the PO.
www.who.int/iomc
Regional and Multilateral
Organizations
Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD):
The OECD groups 30 countries sharing a
commitment to democratic government
and the market economy. Best known for
its publications and its statistics, its work
covers economic and social issues from
macroeconomics, to trade, education,
development and sc ience and innovation.
www.oecd.org
The European Union (EU):
EU web site provides a whole lot of
information covering many subjects
and activities ranging from
agriculture, energy, economy, food
safety and public health, to foreign
and security policy.
www.europa.eu.int
The European Chemical Bureau
(ECB):
The ECB provides scientific and technical
support for the conception, development,
implementation and monitoring of EU
policies related to dangerous chemicals. It
co-ordinates the EU risk assessment
programs covering the risks posed by
existing and new substances to the
humans and the environment. The ECB is
the focal point for collecting information on
new and existing chemicals.
www.ecb.jrc.it
Scientific and Industrial
Associations
The Chemical Industry Institute of
Toxicology (CIIT):
CIIT conducts biochemical research
studies and provides training programs
with the hope to advance the quality of
science used to address environmental
and public health issues.
www.ciit.org
CropLife International:
CropLife International is a global
network representing the plant
science industry. Its commitment is to
contribute in promoting sustainable
agriculture.
www.gcpf.org
The Japanese National Institute of
Health Sciences (JNIHS):
JNIHS is responsible for conducting basic
research to insure the quality, efficacy and
safety of a wide range of products that
directly and indirectly affect the populace.
It provides information services on foods,
drugs and chemicals. At the JNIHS, Prof.
Sekizawa has created a database on
chemical risk assessment that can be
exchanged.
www.nihs.go.jp
US Government Agencies
EPA Office of Pesticide Programs:
Responsible for overall pesticide
regulation with special programs on
agricultural workers, and pesticide
applicators. Specific programs include the
promotion of the reduction of pesticide use,
establishment of tolerance levels for food,
and investigation of pesticide releases and
exposure events.
WWW. epa.gov/pesticides
US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA):
EPA is responsible for registration and
regulation aspects of industrial and
pesticidal chemicals. EPA produces wide
range of highly important documents and
publications covering all aspects of
environmental and health effects of
chemicals and risk assessment.
www. epa.gov
* EPA/OPP Certification and Worker
Protection Branch:
Within the office of pesticide programs, the
Certification and Worker Protection Branch
deals with worker-related pesticide issues
and pesticide applicator certification
activities. Special emphasis is placed on
the adequate training of farm workers,
pesticide applicators, and health care
providers .Various training materials in
several languages are available.
www.epa.gov/pesticides/safety
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA):
More than 100 million workers and 6.5
million employers are covered under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, which
covers workers in pesticide manufacturing.
OSHA sets protective workplace
standards, and offers employers and
employees technical assistance and
consultation programs.
http://www.osha.gov/
USDA Extension Service:
USDA’s Extension Service works with its
university partners, the state-land grant
systems, to provide farmers and ranchers
information to reduce and prevent
agriculture-related incidents. The Pesticide
Applicators Training program trains
applicators in the safe use of pesticides
and coordinates pesticide-related safety
training programs.
http://www.usda.gov/
US National Institute of Health
(NIH):
NIH provides information on health
and research grants and funding
opportunities.
www.nih.gov
US National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS):
The NIHES has a long history of basic and
practical research on a wide range of topics of
importance to environmental and public health,
both through its intramural research and external
grant programs. The National Toxicology
Program (NTP) is one them. Many interesting
documents, reports, and information resources
may be downloaded looked at in the web pages
of NIEHS including the Environmental Health
Perspectives.
www.niehs.nih.gov
US Centers for Disease Control
and Preventions (CDC):
CDC serves as the national focus for
developing and applying disease
prevention and control, environmental
health, and health promotion and
education activities designed to
improve the health of US citizens.
www.cdc.gov
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease
Registry (ATSDR):
ATSDR prepares toxicological profiles for
hazardous substances, including pesticides,
that pose the most significant potential threat
to human health as determined
collaboratively with the USEPA.
ATSDR also produces several other
important publications and training materials
focusing on health and managing hazardous
substances incidents.
www.atsdr.cdc.gov
National Center for
Environmental Health (NCEH):
NCEH Provides environmental
pesticide case surveillance and
disease outbreak investigations.
www.cdc.gov/nceh/ncehhome.htm
National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH):
NIOSH is the US federal agency
responsible for conducting research on
occupational disease and injury. NIOSH
may investigate potentially hazardous
working conditions upon request, makes
recommendations on preventing
workplace disease and injury, and
provides training to occupational safety
and health professionals. It produces
several important documents and
publications in these fields.
www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html
US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA):
FDA library on the web provides very
valuable information on nutritional
and food products and additives as
well as pharmaceuticals.
www.fda.gov
Consortium for International Earth
Science Information Network (CIESIN):
CIESIN is a not for profit organization funded
by grants from several US and International
agencies. The CIESIN goals are to provide
access to and enhance the use of
information worldwide, advancing
understanding of human interactions in the
environment and serving the needs of
science and public and private decisionmaking.
www.ciesin.org
Some Useful Library Catalogs
COPAC:
Copac is a union catalogue. It is
funded by JISC to provide free
access to the merged online
catalogues of 22 of the largest
university research libraries in the UK
and Ireland plus the British Library.
www.copac.ac.uk
The US National Library of
Medicine (NLM):
NLM is the world’s largest medical
library and creator of
MEDLINE/PubMed. Through NLM
you can search for health information
using MEDLINE/PubMed and other
resources.
www.nlm.nih.gov
California Digital Library (CDL):
The CDL is a “co-library” of the UC
campuses, with a focus on digital
materials and services. It is
responsible for the design, creation,
and implementation of system that
support the shared collections of the
University of California.
www.lpai.ccop.edu
The British Library (BL):
The BL is one of the world great
knowledge institutions hold over 150
million items from every age of global
civilization historical documents to the
latest information for business and
research. The BL catalogue is
searchable and some of the treasures
which open free in London may be
viewed all the time.
www.bl.uk