As part of its mission to protect human life and the environment, EPA conducts research to characterize, predict and diagnose human and ecosystem exposure to harmful pollutants and other conditions in the air, water, soil, dust and food. The National Exposure Research Laboratory and other agency bodies provide exposure information for chemicals, biologicals, radiation, and changes in climate, land and water use. EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), summarizes available toxicity data and contains EPA's assessment of the ways in which the general public may be exposed to individual chemicals. Additionally, EPA develops and field tests new technologies for assessing and modeling exposure patterns, concentrations and scenarios, including short and long-term effects and the potential for exposure across great distances.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)
  NERL provides scientific understanding, information and assessment tools to reduce and quantify the uncertainty in the Agency's exposure and risk assessments for all environmental stressors.
• Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants
  The fact sheets available on this Web page describe the effects on human health of substances that are defined as hazardous.
• Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)
  A database of human health effects that may result from exposure to various substances found in the environment.

Children's Health
School Environments

Exposure
Acute Exposure, Cumulative Exposure, Dermal Exposure, Dietary Exposure, Exposure Assessment, Exposure Route, Threshold Level

Food Safety
Irradiated Food

Health Assessment

Health Effects
Asthma, Genetic Damage, Respiratory Disease

Occupational Health
Worker Protection, Worker Safety

Seniors' Health
Aging Initiative

Sun Protection

Toxicity
Chronic Toxicity, Dermal Toxicity, Toxicological Profile