Chemical Selection

The Environmental Health Laboratory at CDC has extensive experience with public health evaluations in which biomonitoring was used for assessment of human chemical exposures; these chemicals have been included in the National Exposure Reports. CDC has also solicited suggestions for candidate chemicals from the public and other government agencies.

Chemicals included in the National Exposure Report have been selected on the basis of:

• Scientific data that suggested exposure in the U.S. population
• Seriousness of health effects known, or thought to result from some levels of exposure
• Need to assess the efficacy of public health actions to reduce exposure to a chemical
• Availability of an analytical method that is accurate, precise, sensitive, specific, and rapid
• Availability of adequate blood or urine samples from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) survey
• Analytical cost to perform the analysis

Federal Register Notices

CDC announced final criteria for removing chemicals from future editions of CDC’s National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals by placing a notice in the Federal Register, Vol. 73, No. 61, March 28, 2008, pages 16685-16688.

CDC seeks public comment on draft criteria for removing chemicals from future editions of CDC’s National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals by placing a notice in the Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 94, May 16, 2006, pages 28346-28347.

CDC announced candidate chemicals for possible inclusion in future Reports by placing a notice in the Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 189, September 30, 2003, pages 56296-56298.

CDC solicited nominations for chemicals or categories of chemicals for inclusion in future Reports by placing a notice in the Federal Register, Vol. 67, No. 194, October 7, 2002, pages 62477-62478.

CDC sought public comment on its proposed criteria for selecting environmental chemicals or categories of chemicals for inclusion in future releases of the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals by placing a notice in the Federal Register, Vol. 67, No. 34, March 20, 2002, pages 12996-12997.

To access notices from the Federal Register please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/.