Exposure Investigations Conducted by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

As part of our continued effort to highlight innovative approaches to improve the health and environment of communities, the Journal is pleased to publish regular columns from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ATSDR serves the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances. The purpose of this column is to inform readers of ATSDR's activities and initiatives to better understand the relationship between exposure to hazardous substances in the environment, its impact on human health, and how to protect public health. This information is distributed solely for the purpose of predissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by ATSDR. The findings in this column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent any agency determination, policy, or official position of CDC or ATSDR. Karen Scruton is the chief of the Exposure Investigations Section in the Office of Community Health Hazard Assessment at ATSDR.