Ground water contamination and protection : hearings before the Subcommittee on Toxic Substances and Environmental Oversight of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, Ninety-ninth Congress, first session.

"October 24, November 14, and December 12, 1985"--Pt. 2.

The Child protection act of 1966: hearings, Eighty-ninth Congress, second session on S. 3298, a bill to amend the Federal hazardous substances labeling act to ban hazardous toys and articles intended for children, and other articles so hazardous as to be dangerous in the household regardless of labeling, and to apply to unpackaged articles intended for household use, and for other purposes, August 24 and 26, 1966.

Committee Serial No. 89-79. Considers S. 3298, to ban sale of toys and other articles so hazardous as to be unsuitable for play or use, even with labeling under the Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act--oversight : hearings before the Subcommittee on Hazardous Wastes and Toxic Substances of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, first session.

Item 1045-A, 1045-B (microfiche).

Compilation of selected public health laws: including particularly the Public health service act, the Clean air act, the Solid waste disposal act, the Mental retardation facilities and community mental health centers construction act, and the Narcotic addict rehabilitation act, the Federal food, drug, and cosmetic act, the Federal hazardous substances act, and the fair packaging and labeling act.

Prepared for the use of the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare and the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

Herbs or natural substances as complementary therapies for chronic kidney disease: ideas for future studies

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasingly common condition with limited treatment options that is placing a major financial and emotional burden on the community. The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMS) has increased many-fold over the past decade. Although several compelling studies show renal toxicities and an adverse outcome from use of some CAMS, there is also emerging evidence in the literature that some may be renoprotective. Many nephrologists are unaware of these potential therapeutic benefits in treating CKD, or they are reluctant to consider them in research trials for fear of adverse effects (including nephrotoxicity) or deleterious interaction with co-prescribed, conventional medicines. The increased use of self-prescribed CAMS by their patients suggests that practitioners and researchers should keep abreast of the current information on these agents. A primary goal of this article was to review the available scientific evidence for the use of herbs or natural substances as a complementary treatment for patients with CKD. A further goal was to report the literature on herbs that have been reported to cause kidney failure.

Number and type of substances in alcohol and drug-related completed suicides in an Australian sample

Background: The association between substance use and suicide is well-established, but evidence is scant regarding the relationship between the number, type, and level of substances and other risk factors in completed suicide across the lifespan. Aims: To examine the relationship between social/demographic characteristics and the number, type, and level of drugs present in an unrestricted age sample of completed suicides in Australia. Method: An analysis was undertaken of 893 substance-related suicides using data from the Government Statistician's Office for the years 1989-1992. Results: The number and type of substances present in suicide victims was related to the individual's gender, age, marital status, employment status, and method of suicide. Blood alcohol level was significantly different between the methods of suicide, but was unrelated to demographic characteristics of the individual. The level of antidepressants and minor tranquilizers in the individuals was also unrelated to demographic characteristics. Conclusion: Examination of the type and number of substances present in completed suicides is an important component in creating profiles of potential suicide victims.

Some aspects of the interaction of humic substances with metal ions

Humic substances are the major organic constituents of soils and sediments. They are heterogeneous, polyfunctional, polydisperse, macromolecular and have no accurately known chemical structure. Their interactions with radionuclides are particularly important since they provide leaching mechanisms from disposal sites. The central theme to this research is the interaction of heavy metal actinide analogues with humic materials. Studies described focus on selected aspects of the characteristics and properties of humic substances. Some novel approaches to experiments and data analysis are pursued. Several humic substances are studied; all but one are humic acids, and those used most extensively were obtained commercially. Some routine characterisation techniques are applied to samples in the first instance. Humic substances are coloured, but their ultra-violet and visible absorption spectra are featureless. Yet, they fluoresce over a wide range of wavelengths. Enhanced fluorescence in the presence of luminescent europium(III) ions is explained by energy transfer from irradiated humic acid to the metal ion in a photophysical model. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is applied to the study of humic acids and their complexes with heavy metals. Proton and carbon-13 NMR provides some structural and functionality information; Paramagnetic lanthanide ions affect these spectra. Some heavy metals are studied as NMR nuclei, but measurements are restricted by their sensitivity. A humic acid is fractionated yielding a broad molecular weight distribution. Electrophoretic mobilities and particle radii determined by Laser Doppler Electrophoretic Light Scattering are sensitive to the conditions of the supporting media, and the concentration and particle size distribution of humic substances. In potentiometric titrations of humate dispersions, the organic matter responds slowly and the mineral acid addition is buffered. Proton concentration data is modelled and a mechanism is proposed involving two key stages, both resulting in proton release after some conformational changes.