Characterizing Reproductive Hazards in the Semiconductor Industry: Evaluating Preclinical Studies
Andrew Monnot
(Cardno ChemRisk)
There have been concerns regarding reproductive toxicity following occupational or community exposure to chemicals used at semiconductor manufacturing facilities. Many professionals rely on information provided by safety data sheets, however, oftentimes this information is limited and/or incomplete. A thorough evaluation of determining whether a chemical is a reproductive toxicity hazard can be an intensive process that primarily relies on results from preclinical animal toxicity studies. Both the United States Environmental Protection Agency and European Chemicals Agency have guidelines for characterizing a reproductive toxicity hazard. In this talk, we discuss how to conduct a weight-of-evidence evaluation of available preclinical reproductive and developmental toxicity studies and apply this approach to chemicals used in the semiconductor industry.