An A–Z index of Human Chemical terminology.

A quick-reference glossary of chemical safety, toxicology, chemical identifiers, regulatory frameworks, and new approach methodologies.

A
AOP	A framework linking a molecular event to a chain ending in harm.
assay	A test that measures how cells, tissues, or organisms respond to a chemical.
ATSDR	The U.S. public-health agency publishing toxicological profiles and Minimal Risk Levels.
B
bioactivity	A measurable effect a chemical has on cells, tissues, or living organisms.
BMD	A modeled dose producing a defined small change in biological response.
C
CAS	A unique numeric identifier assigned to one specific chemical substance.
CLP	The EU regulation implementing UN GHS for chemical classification and labelling.
CompTox	EPA’s online hub for chemical, toxicity, and exposure data.
E
ECHA	The European Union agency that administers and supports the REACH chemicals law.
EPA	The U.S. federal agency protecting human health and the environment.
G
GHS	The UN system for classifying and communicating chemical hazards worldwide.
H
hazard	What harm a chemical can cause, regardless of exposure.
I
IARC	The WHO agency classifying how strongly evidence links agents to cancer.
ICCVAM	The U.S. committee that coordinates validation of non-animal testing methods.
ICH M7	The global pharmaceutical guideline for controlling DNA-reactive impurities and carcinogenic risk.
in silico	Testing performed using computer models or simulations instead of physical experiments.
in vitro	Testing performed outside a living body using cells, tissues, or laboratory systems.
in vivo	Testing performed within a whole living organism, usually an animal or person.
ISO 10993	International standards for evaluating medical-device biocompatibility and biological risk.
L
LD50	The single dose expected to kill half of a test population.
M
mutagen	An agent that permanently alters DNA and increases the mutation rate.
N
NGRA	A modern chemical safety assessment combining exposure data with non-animal methods.
NOAEL	The highest tested dose at which no adverse effect is observed.
O
ORIVA	The NIH office coordinating development and adoption of human-based, non-animal research methods.
P
PBPK	A mechanistic model predicting how chemicals move through the body over time.
POD	The dose where extrapolation toward human-relevant exposures begins.
predictive toxicology	Using computational models and existing data to predict a chemical’s toxicity.
Q
QPRF	A standard template documenting one substance-specific QSAR prediction.
QSAR	A mathematical model that predicts chemical activity or toxicity from molecular structure.
R
RAAF	ECHA’s framework for judging whether a read-across argument is scientifically acceptable.
REACH	The EU law requiring industry to identify and manage chemical risks.
read-across	Using data from similar chemicals to predict an untested chemical’s properties.
risk	How likely a chemical is to cause harm at a given exposure.
S
SMILES	A text string that lets computers read a molecule’s structure.
SVHC	A REACH designation for substances with especially serious hazards.
T
ToxValDB	EPA’s database of in vivo studies and regulatory toxicity values.
TSCA	The U.S. law giving EPA authority to regulate industrial chemicals.
U
UN GHS	The UN’s master standard for chemical hazard classification and communication.
W
weight-of-evidence	A structured judgment that weighs all available evidence together.

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