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Sharon Clayton
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Lauinger Library
For research consultations or reference questions, please email me.
For research consultations or reference questions, please email me.
202-687-7467
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Biochemical Properties & Data
What is MSDS
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is designed to provide both workers and emergency personnel with the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substance. MSDS's include information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill/leak procedures. These are of particular use if a spill or other accident occurs.
Where to Find MSDS Information
Databases for finding toxicological or chemical safety information
- ToxnetThe Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) provides access to databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases. Topics covered include household product safety, occupational exposure to chemicals, and animal testing alternatives.
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a federal, non-regulatory, environmental public health agency overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ATSDR is the lead federal public health agency for determining, preventing, and mitigating the human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances.
- SciFinderⁿ This link opens in a new windowSciFinder indexes chemical safety data as well as providing access to the literature of Biochemistry & Chemistry. Click the SciFinder Guide option to the left for more information.
NOTE: SciFinderⁿ requires that users have an individual, free account on the site.
Online Databases and Resources
- TOXNETThe Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) provides access to and searching in databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases. Topics covered include household product safety, occupational exposure to chemicals, and animal testing alternatives.
- SciFinderⁿ This link opens in a new windowNOTE: SciFinderⁿ requires that users have an individual, free account on the site. To register, please visit the SciFinder registration page. Additional login information is available directly from the CAS as a PDF.
Like its online predecessor, SciFinder (and its print equivalent, Chemical Abstracts), SciFinderⁿ is a core chemistry research and discovery tool for finding chemical substances, reactions, journal articles, and patent records. Two new elements make SciFinderⁿ particularly valuable:
- PatentPak—helps scientists evaluate the relevance of patents by making it easy to navigate quickly to specific substances referenced in the text of a patent
- MethodsNow—enables immediate access to millions of synthetic protocols (i.e., step-by-step synthetic methods)
With its additional functionality, SciFinderⁿ provides information and data faster and more comprehensively than SciFinder did, widening the search landscape and possibly increasing research productivity and impact. - PubMed This link opens in a new windowFree (non-subscription) access to the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE and PreMEDLINE. MEDLINE encompasses information from Index Medicus, Index to Dental Literature, and International Nursing Index, as well as other sources of coverage in the areas of allied health, biological and physical sciences, humanities and information science as they relate to medicine and health care, communication disorders, population biology, and reproductive biology.
