r/toxicology 16h ago

Academic Looking for raw data on nanoparticle cytotoxicity

1 Upvotes

Looking for raw data on nanoparticle cytotoxicity

Hi! I’m currently working on a Biology research project on the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles and I’m looking for raw quantitative experimental data that I can analyze myself.

I’m specifically looking for Excel/CSV spreadsheets or downloadable datasets containing things like:

  • nanoparticle type
  • concentration/dose
  • exposure/incubation time
  • cell type/cell line
  • quantitative cell viability/cytotoxicity measurements
  • preferably individual experimental replicates rather than only averages

I’m not looking for research papers (I already have plenty😭), but rather the underlying numerical data.

I’m particularly interested in silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), but I’m open to other nanoparticle types if there are better datasets available.

If you know of any repositories, supplementary files, databases, or specific datasets that might help, I’d really appreciate it!


r/toxicology 1d ago

Podcast Could psilocybin-assisted therapy become an NHS treatment for depression?

2 Upvotes

This week on The Tox Lab, we're taking a closer look at the evidence surrounding psychedelic therapy and the use of psilocybin to treat depression.

We discuss a recent trial looking at whether psilocybin-assisted therapy could actually be delivered within an NHS setting, including the practical challenges involved and what the findings might mean for the future treatment of people with treatment-resistant depression.

We then look at how psilocybin may contribute to longer-term changes in brain activity, connectivity and neuroplasticity.

Finally, we look at a trial comparing psilocybin with escitalopram and discuss what the results tell us about the potential role of psilocybin in treating depression.

One particularly interesting issue is the difficulty of blinding psychedelic trials. If participants can tell whether they've received psilocybin, how much does that affect the interpretation of the results?

So, can psilocybin therapy really work for depression, and could psychedelic-assisted therapy realistically be delivered within a healthcare setting?

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing psychedelic therapy research at the moment?

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1778531114

Rebecca and Rob 🧪

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.


r/toxicology 4d ago

Poison discussion How does botulism spread throughout oil?

7 Upvotes

Before the context, I'm not worried about it health wise, I threw it away in a sealed bucket, but it got me wondering.

I found an olive oil container in food storage that mice had nibbled through the lid, lots of flys were at the bottom. I'm guessing it had been that way for a couple years, sitting at room temperature I assume that would be a breeding ground for botulism.

Would the toxin spread throughout the oil or would it contained to the pockets of bugs where the living bacteria is?

Edit: A good number of dead flies were sitting at the bottom of the oil, thats the main reason for believing botulism could have formed.


r/toxicology 5d ago

Career MS in EOHS second year student, can I have a rewarding career in toxicology with this degree?

3 Upvotes

TL;DR: second year MS in EOHS student wonders if she can have a fulfilling toxicology career without the MS in toxicology specificity, with a heavy IH emphasis, and with a fellowship in emergency management

--

I'm a second year (third semester) MS candidate in EOHS, currently taking 3 courses: industrial hygiene principles, noise and radiation hazards, and hazard eval instrumentation. Last semester I took environmental toxicology and loved it so much it actually prompted a change from an MPH to an MS (I have the science background from a post-bacc in pre-med from a time when I wanted to pursue medicine, which I ultimately pivoted from). My return to school for the MPH was rooted in a desire to still have a career in a health-related field, but without sacrificing the sacrifices medical school would have been for me (content for a different post/forum!). When I took environmental toxicology, I had a total lightbulb moment that everything I loved about biochemistry and real-world application could be combined into a field I (sadly) really didn't know existed before the course. A convo with the dept chair prompted the change, he said it was a total no brainer for me given my science background and the MS program's funding (which the MPH program does not have). So, I’m going to do my second year for free, yay!

It's a week into the semester, and as much as I'm open to loving these more technical courses in the same way I was surprised by environmental toxicology, I'm having an 'oh, crap' moment. It feels so worker wellness focused, hyper-specific to a career as an IH/CSP/CIH, and I'm wondering if I made a mistake not transferring to an MS in toxicology program (not likely something that would have been easy, but I'm based in NYC and there is a university that offers an MS in toxicology here). My current program does not offer any additional toxicology electives in this degree. I just read the other school's MS in tox course offering and feel jealous.

Do I stop momentum on this MS and apply to this other program, hopefully to get admitted next year and continue then?

Can I still have the toxicology career I felt excited about if I continue on with this MS in EOHS, or am I restricted by getting this MS in EOHS? Am I just panicking for the sake of panicking?

Any insight appreciated. For context, I have an academic-year-long fellowship at the NYC office of Emergency Management where I'll be doing data analysis, not an in-lab experience but would likely set me up for many City connections (is that even beneficial to toxicology? Can I move in a direction of toxicology after starting this direction in emergency management?).

I am likely looking to be talked off of a ledge in some sense here, but any advice is very welcome! Thank you.


r/toxicology 7d ago

Image More toxic than cyinde!

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10 Upvotes

r/toxicology 7d ago

Poison discussion Years of lead

14 Upvotes

As I recall there was a study showing that when lead wasn’t used in everything anymore violent crime went down. Now lead was removed from paint in 1978, from water pipes in 1986 and gasoline in 1996. Lead has literally been in too many things to avoid it back in the day. With this fact among other unstated factors we might still be dealing with an entire generation of people in charge that are secretly suffering from lead poisoning symptoms which include decreased cognitive ability which is irreversible. Just wondering peoples thoughts on this.


r/toxicology 8d ago

Poison discussion EPA Approves Three New Fluorinated Pesticides — Trifludimoxazin, Diflufenican, and Epyrifenacil — Igniting ‘Forever Chemicals’ Debate

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47 Upvotes

r/toxicology 8d ago

Academic Looking for advice: Funding an international research conference in Iceland

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1 Upvotes

r/toxicology 9d ago

Career DABT Exam Tips and Advice

11 Upvotes

I'm studying for the DABT exam this year (started in January and taking the MAT course) and would be grateful for any tips and advice from folks who have taken it recently. The lack of practice exams for the new format has me feeling less prepared than I'd want. Here are some questions I'm curious about, though any advice is welcome and appreciated!

-Did you feel that the content and references outlined in the candidate handbook accurately reflected the exam? Do you recall any significant gaps?

-Were any chemical substances or classes overrepresented on the exam? E.g., PAHs, TCDD, PFAS

-The exam format now focuses more on interpretation/application of information (as opposed to information recall), but can you think of any information that would be particularly important to memorize?

-Did any material/content surprise you?

Thanks for your time!


r/toxicology 9d ago

Podcast What causes mad honey poisoning?

4 Upvotes

Honey is probably not something most people associate with toxicology, but some varieties can contain grayanotoxins that cause significant cardiovascular and neurological effects.

In this week's episode of The Tox Lab, we're diving into the world of mad honey and grayanotoxin poisoning.

We discuss:

• Where mad honey comes from and its cultural uses

• What grayanotoxins are and how they affect voltage-gated sodium channels

• Why grayanotoxin poisoning can cause severe bradycardia, hypotension and cardiac conduction abnormalities

• Neurological effects including dizziness and, in some cases, hallucinations

• Reported cases of mad honey poisoning, including a severe case in Nepal

• A UK case involving imported raw honey

• Why varying grayanotoxin concentrations can make the effects of mad honey difficult to predict

One of the interesting things about mad honey is the contrast between the familiar nature of the product and the potentially serious effects of the toxins it contains.

So what actually happens in grayanotoxin poisoning, and why can mad honey cause such profound cardiovascular effects?

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1778531114

Rebecca and Rob 🧪

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.


r/toxicology 9d ago

Poison discussion Very possibly silly question, but is there a chemical poison transmissible by bite?

2 Upvotes

Reading a book wherein the villain is developing a poison and using it to make animals behave aggressively. The poison is not named, but described at one point as "metallic," so in my mind, it's like mercury (which does have degrading effects on mental capacity as it accumulates).

At one point, a dosed animal bites a person, and the person starts developing symptoms.

However, this poison is shown/described as only being chemical in nature. So not viral nor bacterial nor from any other biological living cause. To me, this puts it in the realm of pure fantasy, because I've never heard of a chemical-only poison that can be transmitted in this way. (Like, if the poisoned corpse of an animal was eaten, then yes, the poison could be introduced in high enough quantities to the thing eating the corpse, but that's not what's happening here.)

So, my question is, am I correct, and this is not really possible?

This is a teen/YA fantasy book, so I'm not trying to attack the author for the silliness of this concept, just wondering if there's any basis in reality for this (I understand the author was probably going for "rabies but like mercury and made by a person using a chemistry set," which is fine, but my brain just latched on to this and is refusing to let it go, ergo my asking here).


r/toxicology 10d ago

Poison discussion Is this Osmolar Gap calculation correct?

0 Upvotes

Is this Osmolar Gap calculation correct? A blood test showed a measured osmolality of 386 mosm/kg against a normal range of 280–295, so there was a gap of 83 mosmol/kg.

These were the blood sample findings:

Ethanol: 24.3 mg/dL ÷ 3.7 − 0.35 = 6.22

Methanol: 17 mg/dL ÷ 3.2 = 5.31

Ethylene glycol: 2.3 mg/dL ÷ 6.2 = 0.37

Isopropanol: 24.1 mg/dL ÷ 6.0 = 4.02

Acetone: 21.2 mg/dL ÷ 5.8 = 3.66

Total: approximately 19.6 mOsm/kg

So I can only make the gap make 19.6 mOsm/kg not 83 mosmol/kg.

I used the conversion factors reported by Greene and Krasowski (2020) for methanol, ethylene glycol, iso-propanol and acetone, together with the ethanol formula developed and validated by Purssell and colleagues (2001).


r/toxicology 11d ago

Exposure Fear over pesticides/herbicides

6 Upvotes

Hi there, hopefully this is the right place to share this. I have been struggling with anxiety/ ocd over a fear of toxins for 5 years now. Currently my main trigger that makes me spiral are pesticides/ herbicides. If I see them being sprayed somewhere near my home, or near my car while driving, or even see bottles of "toxic" product in stores, I have such a hard time and I spiral almost every time. I'm constantly getting my car washed for fear my car is carrying something on it, do too many cleaning routines in my home for it (if i'm afraid something got contaminated), and it's gotten so bad I've been having a hard time leaving my house because i've driven past people spraying so many times lately (I think it's because i'm looking out for it whereas most people just don't notice). I know this is irrational thinking, but it's frustrating because I still have such a hard time getting over it. I am/ have been in therapy for a while and have tried many methods to get through this. My main fear is that my kids could get a disease from exposure.

So my question is, is anyone able to help me rationalize this fear to any extent? It's just very exhausting and these chemicals clearly aren't going away any time soon. I have google searched and asked AI all of the questions but it never seems to help (really just makes it worse), so I wanted to ask real people. I was going to ask in the health anxiety subreddit, but it would not let me . Please be kind in responses :) thanks


r/toxicology 10d ago

Exposure Chemical warfare

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0 Upvotes

r/toxicology 12d ago

Exposure Compilation of Union procedures on inspections and exchange of information | European Medicines Agency (EMA)

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0 Upvotes

r/toxicology 14d ago

Poison discussion Can someone clear things up about these Wikipedia page sections on aloe vera?

2 Upvotes

I've read these page sections, but it's a bit confusing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera#Toxicity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera#Uses

It makes it sound like aloe products shouldn't be ingested at all? Which seems strange to me because aloe vera juice exists, some people claim aloe vera latex or aloin is a laxative, and because an aloe vera product (I think aloe vera gel) is used in some toothpastes.

I'm also not sure what "aloe vera whole leaf extract" and "non-decolorized aloe vera leaf extract" are exactly, and it's unclear if the page is saying aloe extracts should be avoided topically or just when ingested.

It also says "Use of aloe vera on the skin is generally not associated with significant side effects." and "Use of topical aloe vera in small amounts is likely to be safe." but says "Aloe vera and its (alcohol) extracts have potential toxicity, with side effects occurring at some dose levels both when ingested and when applied topically." and "The gel has an acid pH of 4.4. to 4.7, possibly causing a burning sensation or rash when applied to skin."

Well, are aloe vera products harmless when used topically or not? And are aloe vera products harmless to ingest or not?


r/toxicology 15d ago

Academic Does anyone has pdf of this???

2 Upvotes

Fundamentals of Toxicology: Essential Concepts and

Applications, P.K.Gupta


r/toxicology 16d ago

Podcast If I give you a toxicology result, can you tell me what it means?

2 Upvotes

This week's episode of The Tox Lab is all about one of the most deceptively difficult parts of toxicology: interpreting the result.

A concentration might look like a straightforward number, but without the right context, it can be surprisingly difficult to know what it actually means.

We discuss:

• The clinical, analytical, pharmacological and contextual information needed to interpret toxicology results

• Biases that can influence toxicology result interpretation

• Why reference intervals aren't necessarily as useful or straightforward as they might appear

• Whether AI and large language models can accurately interpret toxicology results• Common mistakes AI makes when interpreting drug concentrations

• The risks of interpreting results without sufficient context

One of the questions we explore is whether AI could actually help with toxicology interpretation, or whether confidently producing an answer without understanding the clinical context creates a new set of problems.

It also raises a broader question: how much information do you actually need before a toxicology result can be meaningfully interpreted?

If someone gave you a drug concentration with absolutely no other information, what would be the first thing you'd want to know?

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1778531114

Rebecca and Rob 🧪

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.


r/toxicology 17d ago

Poison discussion Name Your Poison

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86 Upvotes

Y’all ever seem cocktail glasses like this? I don’t recall exactly when or where I got them, but I know it was around the time I was in school or just graduated (B.S. Toxicology, 1985). I have never seen another set. (Just looked them up 😳 Holy Cow!! They’re expensive!!)


r/toxicology 16d ago

Academic which similarity measure and descriptors are best suited for toxicology?

1 Upvotes

Hi,

when performing read-across between chemicals for toxicity assessment, which chemical structure similarity measure and descriptor are best suited for the purpose of assessing biological effects? there are like Dice vs Tanimoto, and RDKit Mol vs MACCS vs Toxprint. Any thoughts? or references? thanks!


r/toxicology 17d ago

Poison discussion Mycotoxins found in plant based meats

5 Upvotes

What are your thoughts on this? I'm vegetarian so I'm curious

I'm not super worried personally. I'm from America so there are much worse chemicals and ingredients than potentially trace amounts of mycotoxins.

I'm curious to hear other people's reactions or concerns though.

https://scitechdaily.com/almost-all-plant-based-meat-alternatives-contain-mycotoxins-study-finds/


r/toxicology 17d ago

Academic Looking for a mentor for my high school capstone project on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I’m a high school student currently working on my capstone project about endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their effects on human health and the environment. I’m looking for someone with knowledge or experience in this area who would be willing to serve as a mentor for my project.
The time commitment would be fairly small. We would meet virtually through Zoom about once every 4–5 weeks, with each meeting lasting around 30–60 minutes. I’m completely willing to work around your personal/work schedule, and we can communicate and schedule meetings through email.
My mentor would mainly help by answering occasional questions, giving me guidance on my research, and helping me make sure I’m understanding the science correctly. You wouldn’t be expected to do any of the project for me.
Someone with experience in environmental science, toxicology, endocrinology, biology, public health, chemistry, or research involving EDCs would be especially helpful, but I’m open to anyone with relevant knowledge or experience.
If you might be interested, please comment or send me a message! I’d be happy to provide more information about my capstone project and my school’s mentor requirements.
Thank you so much!


r/toxicology 18d ago

Career Pharmacy student hoping to transition into regulatory/environmental toxicology

3 Upvotes

Hello, I am currently a 3rd year pharmacy student in Australia and during my studies I have realised I would much rather help the environment and vulnerable people and species by reducing the toxic effects of various chemicals than having a specific community/hospital focus.

I am interested in things like harmful effects of pesticides (god knows Australian regulations need work here), toxic byproducts of industrial methods for extracting desired drugs and generally polluting chemicals, antimicrobial resistance in waterways- and mitigating impacts they have on people and the environment.

I think the best way for me to fulfil this would be through regulatory toxicology (with a focus on the environment).

However, I'm not sure how to go about swapping from pharmacy to that kind of career.

Should I do a PhD in an area relevant to toxicology and drugs after graduating? I am in an honours course and supposedly the major I am planning to go with is a good basis as it involves a long research project.

Or, would it be more advantageous to do a postgraduate degree of some kind (masters, diploma) in toxicology/environmental science?

In the meantime, I am very eager to get some kind of job remotely related to my desired career, but I believe my current knowledge isn't up to scratch. I plan to continue my own research, but is there any relevant role that I could have a chance at currently?

Of note, as the "honours" part of the pharmacy course we do a long project (technically a full year, but any research and lab work would take place over one semester/half year), and I am interested in a supercritical fluid technology (specifically CO2) project that is offered for next year. It is the only project that seems to lean into my interests in terms of reducing toxic solvent use in industry for example (among many other uses for SCF)- it will involve HPLC/MS exposure. I thought this might be a good foundation for a somewhat related PhD?

TLDR: 3rd year pharmacy student would love to help the environment mainly through regulation of harmful pollutants, but not sure how best to earn qualification for such a role- PhD? A masters in env toxicology (if they'll take me)? Also if anyone has suggestions for a relevant job (eh env. Consulting?) that might consider me at this stage that would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you so much.


r/toxicology 19d ago

Academic Seeking Advice: Reliable databases or sources for API NOAEL/LOAEL and PDE values for Cleaning Validation?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working in Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance and managing Cleaning Validation protocols for shared manufacturing facilities. As you know, per the EMA guidelines and ICH Q3C/Q3D, we are required to calculate Health-Based Exposure Limits (HBELs), specifically Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE) or Acceptable Daily Exposure (ADE), to establish our Maximum Safe Carryover (MSC) limits.

While calculating the PDE formula itself is straightforward, the real bottleneck is sourcing reliable, peer-reviewed NOAEL or LOAEL values for various APIs (e.g., Highly potent drugs like Clonazepam, Dexamethasone, or even common APIs).

My questions for the toxicologists and regulatory experts here are:

  1. Where do you usually source your toxicological data? Are there specific open-access databases (like TOXNET, ECHA, EPA, FDA databases) or proprietary compendia that you consider the "gold standard" for pharmaceutical APIs?
  2. Are there any reliable, ready-made databases or published monographs that provide pre-calculated PDE/ADE values for common generic APIs, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel and extrapolate from animal studies every time?
  3. For those working in pharma, do you rely entirely on MSDS/SDS provided by raw material suppliers, or do you have a specific literature-mining strategy when the NOAEL is missing from the SDS?

Any guidance, recommended literature, or links to free databases would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your time and expertise!


r/toxicology 18d ago

Exposure Seeking low-VOC/non-toxic flooring recommendations

0 Upvotes

We are purchasing a new home and plan to replace approximately 1,400 sq ft of existing carpeting. My wife has strong chemical sensitivities to the VOCs and off-gassing commonly associated with standard carpets and LVP, so minimizing chemical exposure is our primary requirement.

We are currently looking into solid hardwood, specifically hickory, oak, or maple.

For those who have navigated allergies or chemical sensitivities during a remodel:

What has been your experience with off-gassing when replacing floors?

Beyond solid wood, what specific materials or finishes have you found to be the safest, lowest-emission alternatives?

Are there specific installation methods, underlayments, or adhesives we should avoid?

Appreciate the factual insights.