Printed fact sheets and brochures are also available free of charge by mail.
Make A RequestIf you are giving a presentation about an environmental health topic or just looking for general information about environmental health research or the institute, this webpage will help.
Agricultural Health Study
(329KB)
(329KB)
Farmers have a higher risk for developing some cancers, including prostate cancer. Gloves Matter! Use of chemically resistant gloves can reduce pesticide exposure 50-80%.
Last Updated:
08/2012A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change (Full Report)
(4MB)
(4MB)
Climate change endangers human health, affecting all sectors of society, both domestically and globally. The environmental consequences of climate change, both those already observed and those that are anticipated, such as sea-level rise, changes in precipitation resulting in flooding and drought, heat waves, more intense hurricanes and storms, and degraded air quality, will affect human health both directly and indirectly
Last Updated:
10/2010A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change (Summary)
(1MB)
(1MB)
There is abundant evidence that human activities are altering the earth’s climate and that climate change will have significant health impacts both domestically and globally. While all of the changes associated with this process are not predetermined, the actions we take today will certainly help to shape our environment in the decades to come.
Last Updated:
09/2011Air Pollution and Your Health
(1MB)
(1MB)
NIEHS is a leader in funding and conducting research on how air pollution affects health. The institute also studies the population groups who are most affected by air pollution.
Last Updated:
08/2020Arsenic
(676KB)
(676KB)
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed in the Earth’s crust. It is found in water, air, food, and soil. There are two general forms of arsenic — organic and inorganic. Inorganic arsenic, which affects the drinking water of millions of people worldwide, has been shown to be a human carcinogen.
Last Updated:
07/2014Asbestos: Worker and Employer Guide to Hazards and Recommended Controls
(1MB)
(1MB)
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistance, asbestos has been used in many materials produced for building or home construction, particularly if they were manufactured prior to 1980, such as shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, and attic and pipe insulation. If these materials are broken, crushed, or disturbed, the asbestos fibers may be released into the air and become a health hazard. High exposures to asbestos may occur during demolition and rebuilding.
Last Updated:
06/2015Asthma and Its Environmental Triggers
(226KB)
(226KB)
Asthma is a chronic lung disease. Common symptoms are wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. During an asthma attack, the sides of the airways in lungs swell and the airways shrink, making it harder to breathe.
Last Updated:
05/2019Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Environment
(505KB)
(505KB)
Research shows that both genetics and environmental factors likely play a role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) supports research to discover how the environment may influence ASD.
Last Updated:
04/2019Autoimmune Diseases and Your Environment
(1MB)
(1MB)
A healthy immune system defends the body against disease and infection. But if the immune system malfunctions, it mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Called autoimmune disease, these attacks can affect any part of the body, weakening bodily function and even turning life-threatening.
Last Updated:
04/2020Bisphenol A (BPA)
(421KB)
(421KB)
Bisphenol A, more commonly known as BPA, is a chemical widely used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.
Last Updated:
09/2010Breast Cancer Risk and Environmental Factors
(1MB)
(1MB)
NIEHS plays a leadership role in funding and conducting studies on the ways in which genetic and environmental factors may affect a woman's chance of developing breast cancer. Understanding these factors presents tremendous opportunity for disease prevention.
Last Updated:
09/2021Campos Eléctricos y Magnéticos Relacionados Con el Uso de la Energía Eléctrica
(3MB)
(3MB)
Desde mediados del siglo XX, la electricidad ha formado parte esencial de nuestras vidas. La electricidad suministra energía para nuestros electrodomésticos, equipos de oficina y un sinnúmero de otros dispositivos que usamos para que la vida sea más segura, más fácil y más interesante.
Electric and Magnetic Fields Associated with the Use of Electric Power: Questions and Answers (Spanish Version)
Electric and Magnetic Fields Associated with the Use of Electric Power: Questions and Answers (Spanish Version)
Last Updated:
09/2004Cancer and the Environment
(788KB)
(788KB)
This booklet was created by scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in response to many public requests for information.
Last Updated:
08/2003Career Development Grant Awards
(530KB)
(530KB)
NIEHS offers a variety of targeted Career Development Awards to provide support and time for an intense career development experience in the environmental health sciences.
Last Updated:
02/2019Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation Studies
(1MB)
(1MB)
NTP conducted toxicology studies on potential health hazards, including cancer risk, associated with using 2G and 3G cellphones.
Last Updated:
08/2020Children’s Health – Why the Environment Matters
(382KB)
(382KB)
NIEHS is committed to understanding how the environment affects children’s development and health. Children’s environmental health research funded by the institute focuses on preconception, prenatal, and childhood environmental exposures to certain chemicals, pollutants, nutrients, and activities.
Last Updated:
09/2019Climate Change and Human Health
(3MB)
(3MB)
While climate change is a global process, it has both local and regional impacts that may affect communities. Every American may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change at some point in their lives, no matter where they live. NIEHS leads and coordinates NIH efforts to better understand how climate change may affect people’s health.
Last Updated:
01/2021Cosmetics and Hair Dye
(1MB)
(1MB)
Millions of women and men around the world use cosmetics to enhance or change their appearance. The common term makeup refers to cosmetics such as foundation, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, blush, and lipstick. Other cosmetics may include nail polish, body wash and moisturizers, perfumes, and hair coloring or styling products.
Last Updated:
02/2020Drinking Water
(1MB)
(1MB)
Drinking water in the U.S. comes from a variety of sources, including public water systems, private wells, or bottled water. Worldwide, nearly 2 billion people drink contaminated water that could be harmful to their health. Though more of a concern in developing countries, safe drinking water is a U.S. public health priority.
Last Updated:
07/2020Electric and Magnetic Fields Associated with the Use of Electric Power: Questions and Answers (English)
(10MB)
(10MB)
Since the mid-twentieth century, electricity has been an essential part of our lives. Electricity powers our appliances, office equipment, and countless other devices that we use to make life safer, easier, and more interesting. Use of electric power is something we take for granted.
Last Updated:
06/2002Endocrine Disruptors and Your Health
(2MB)
(2MB)
Endocrine disruptors are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, known as the endocrine system.
Last Updated:
05/2020Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma - Guidelines for Health Care Providers (English)
(8MB)
(8MB)
These guidelines are the product of a new Pediatric Asthma Initiative aimed at integrating environmental management of asthma into pediatric health care. This document outlines competencies in environmental health relevant to pediatric asthma that should be mastered by primary health care providers, and outlines the environmental interventions that should be communicated to patients.
Last Updated:
10/2008Environment and Health A to Z
(2MB)
(2MB)
No two people live in the exact same environment. The SOIL beneath our feet, the AIR we breathe, and the WATER flowing through our pipes and waterways can all differ greatly, depending on where we live. On top of that, each of us eats different foods, shares our space with different plants and animals, and has access to different medicines and technology. NIEHS explores the connections between the environment and health, gathering scientific knowledge to help prevent human disease.
Last Updated:
11/2020Fellowship Grant Awards
(2MB)
(2MB)
NIEHS offers a variety of Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowships. These fellowship awards support full-time research training for predoctoral and postdoctoral students, as well as experienced scientists wishing to broaden their scientific background.
Last Updated:
02/2019Flame Retardants
(2MB)
(2MB)
Flame retardants are chemicals that are added or applied to materials in order to slow or prevent the start or growth of fire.
Last Updated:
07/2016Formaldehyde
(912KB)
(912KB)
Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical widely used by industry to make home building products. It is a colorless gas at room temperature, or available as a liquid called formalin.
Last Updated:
06/2011Global Environmental Health and Sustainable Development
(453KB)
(453KB)
A healthy population is essential for economic development. The poorest people on the planet tend to suffer most from the health effects from exposures to environmental hazards like air pollution and impure water. In turn, disease and disability related to polluted environments slows and blocks economic development.
Last Updated:
10/2011Hexavalent Chromium
(1MB)
(1MB)
Hexavalent chromium is a form of the metallic element chromium. Chromium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, animals, plants, soil, and volcanic dust and gases. It comes in several different forms, including trivalent chromium and hexavalent chromium.
Last Updated:
02/2018Historical Overview of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 1966-2016
(12MB)
(12MB)
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has come a long way in the last 50 years making environmental health research responsive to the needs and concerns of the American people, and making environment part of the public health debate.
Last Updated:
11/2016Hydraulic Fracturing and Health
(296KB)
(296KB)
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method used to extract natural gas and oil from deep rock formations known as shale. Using this method, drilling operators force water, sand, and a mix of chemicals into horizontally drilled wells, causing the shale to crack and release natural gas or oil.
Last Updated:
12/2014Integrated Chemical Environment (ICE) and Open Structure-activity/property Relationship App (OPERA)
(698KB)
(698KB)
ICE provides data and tools for the development and evaluation of new chemical safety testing methods.
OPERA is a free and open-source quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) tool.
OPERA is a free and open-source quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) tool.
Last Updated:
01/2020Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods
(927KB)
(927KB)
The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) is 15 federal research and regulatory agencies working together to advance the acceptance of scientifically valid alternative test methods.
Last Updated:
02/2019Lead and Your Health
(1MB)
(1MB)
Any amount of lead in the body can harm your health. NIEHS supports research to find out who is affected by lead exposure and the range of health effects caused by lead.
Last Updated:
05/2021Lung Disease
(1MB)
(1MB)
Lung disease refers to several types of diseases or disorders that prevent the lungs from functioning properly. Lung disease can affect respiratory function, or the ability to breathe, and pulmonary function, which is how well lungs work.
Last Updated:
11/2019Manejo Ambiental del Asma Pediátrica
(1MB)
(1MB)
Estas guías son el producto de la nueva Iniciativa para el Asma Pediátrica orientada a la integración del manejo ambiental del asma dentro de la atención de salud pediátrica. Este documento es un resumen de las materias en la salud ambiental pertinentes al asma pediátrica que deben ser ampliamente dominadas por los proveedores de salud primaria. El documento también delinea de las intervenciones ambientales que deben ser comunicadas a los pacientes.
Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma - Guidelines for Health Care Providers (Spanish Version)
Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma - Guidelines for Health Care Providers (Spanish Version)
Last Updated:
03/2009Mold
(1MB)
(1MB)
Mold is a visible group of fungi that forms and spreads on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter, such as dry wall and other building materials. There are many different types of mold, with some 1.5 million species estimated to exist. Some people may refer to mold as mildew. Both are terms used to describe fungal growth.
Last Updated:
06/2013Myositis Studies at NIEHS
(335KB)
(335KB)
What is myositis? Myositis is a related group of autoimmune diseases that results in muscle inflammation and muscle destruction.
Last Updated:
08/2015National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(2MB)
(2MB)
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is one of 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). NIEHS is located in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina.
Last Updated:
11/2019National Toxicology Program: Informing Policy, Protecting Public Health
(643KB)
(643KB)
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is an interagency program that coordinates toxicology research and testing across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Since 1978, NTP has been generating information that helps health agencies and members of the public make informed decisions about public health.
Last Updated:
12/2019NIEHS: Your Environment. Your Health
(102KB)
(102KB)
This card provides an overview of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, one of the National Institutes of Health, which are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Last Updated:
10/2019NIEHS/EPA Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research: Protecting Children's Health for a Lifetime
(727KB)
(727KB)
We all want our children to thrive and grow into a healthy and productive adult population. Since 1998, the NIEHS/EPA Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (Children’s Centers) have studied individual, regional, national, and global environmental exposures and children’s health.
Last Updated:
10/2013NIEHS Diversity Funding Opportunities
(470KB)
(470KB)
NIEHS is committed to ensuring a diverse environmental health science workforce. Workforce Diversity Supplements are one way we help grantees recruit and train people who are typically underrepresented in the environmental health science field, or who are re-entering the workforce after taking time off for personal reasons.
Last Updated:
09/2021NIEHS Strategic Plan 2018-2023 (Booklet)
(2MB)
(2MB)
The mission of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is to discover how the environment affects people in order to promote healthier lives.
Last Updated:
10/2018NIEHS Strategic Plan 2018-2023 (Tri-Fold)
(1MB)
(1MB)
The mission of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is to discover how the environment affects people in order to promote healthier lives.
Last Updated:
10/2018NIEHS Summer Internship Program
(876KB)
(876KB)
The Summer Internship Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) provides an opportunity to spend a summer working at the institute, side by side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to environmental health research.
Last Updated:
11/2018NIEHS Sustainability Report 2019
(5MB)
(5MB)
The Institute’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.
Last Updated:
12/2019NTP Botanical Dietary Supplements Program
(1MB)
(1MB)
Botanical dietary supplements, sometimes called herbals or herbal dietary supplements, are products made from plants.
Last Updated:
08/2020NTP Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS)
(631KB)
(631KB)
Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS), an integrated database of toxicology and toxicogenomics study information and data from NTP, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), other government agencies, academia, and pharmaceutical companies.
Last Updated:
12/2019NTP Developmental NeuroToxicity Data Integration and Visualization Enabling Resource (DNT-DIVER)
(644KB)
(644KB)
DNT-DIVER is a free public resource that hosts data from multiple in vitro and alternative animal assays, which are uniformly analyzed using Benchmark Concentration (BMC) methods.
Last Updated:
01/2020NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM)
(655KB)
(655KB)
NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) supports the development and evaluation of new, revised, and alternative methods that replace, reduce, or refine animal use.
Last Updated:
01/2020NTP Nonneoplastic Lesion Atlas
(581KB)
(581KB)
The NTP Nonneoplastic Lesion Atlas is a new searchable, Web-based resource containing thousands of high-quality images and guidelines for diagnosis of nonneoplastic lesions in experimental rodent models.
Last Updated:
03/2019Overview: Training and Career Development Opportunities
(1MB)
(1MB)
Developing a diverse biomedical workforce is an important part of the NIEHS mission to advance environmental health. To that end, NIEHS supports a wide range of high-quality internships, training, and career development opportunities.
Last Updated:
08/2018Ozone Alerts
(1MB)
(1MB)
Ozone is a special form of oxygen. Like ordinary oxygen, ozone is one of the many gases in the air we breathe. Like oxygen, ozone is made up of oxygen molecules. But, while the molecules of ordinary oxygen are made up of two chemically linked oxygen atoms, the molecules of ozone are made of three such atoms.
Last Updated:
04/2010Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH)
(441KB)
(441KB)
The PEPH program brings together scientists, community members, educators, health care providers, public health officials, and policymakers to coordinate environmental public health research at local, state, regional, tribal, national, and global levels.
Last Updated:
03/2015Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
(1MB)
(1MB)
PFAS are a large, complex, and ever-expanding group of manufactured compounds that are widely used to make everyday products more resistant to stains, grease, and water.
Last Updated:
03/2019Postdoctoral Training at NIEHS
(510KB)
(510KB)
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is one of 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Unlike the majority of NIH institutes located in Bethesda, Md., NIEHS is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, a major U.S. center of biotechnology and health research.
Last Updated:
09/2019Postdoctoral Training at the National Toxicology Program
(344KB)
(344KB)
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) offers a limited number of postdoctoral training fellowships that prepare scientists for careers in pharmaceutical and chemical industries, regulatory agencies, and academia. The NTP fellowships are offered in seven areas of toxicology sciences.
Last Updated:
09/2019Report on Carcinogens, The
(854KB)
(854KB)
The Report on Carcinogens is a scientific and public health document that identifies substances that pose a cancer hazard for people in the United States. It is intended to help people make informed decisions about their own health.
Last Updated:
11/2016Reproductive Health in Females and Males
(1MB)
(1MB)
Reproductive health refers to the condition of female and male reproductive systems during all life stages. NIEHS conducts and funds research to understand how our environment may affect reproductive health.
Last Updated:
02/2020Sharon Encuentra el Medio Ambiente
(2MB)
(2MB)
Una mañana Sharon se despertó temprano. Quería encontrar el medio ambiente. Su maestra, la señora Clark, le había dicho que la gente debe mantener limpio el medio ambiente. Pero para mantenerlo limpio, primero Sharon debía encontralo. Como era sábado, tenía mucho tiempo para buscarlo.
Sharon Finds the Environment (Spanish Version)
Sharon Finds the Environment (Spanish Version)
Last Updated:
09/2001Sharon Finds the Environment (English)
(1MB)
(1MB)
One morning Sharon woke up early. She wanted to find the environment. Her teacher, Miss Clark, had told her that people need to keep the environment clean . But to keep it clean, Sharon had to Find it First. Since it was Saturday, she had plenty of time to look.
Last Updated:
09/2001Superfund Research Program
(1MB)
(1MB)
The Superfund Research Program (SRP) has provided practical, scientific solutions to protect health, the environment, and communities since 1987. SRP works to learn more about ways to protect the public from exposure to hazardous substances, such as industrial solvents, arsenic, lead, and mercury, which can cause death, disease, and birth defects.
Last Updated:
03/2018Systematic Review
(873KB)
(873KB)
Systematic review is a method for answering specific research questions. It should not be confused with a regular literature search. It is much more than that. Systematic review uses a predefined, multistep process to identify, select, critically assess, and synthesize evidence from scientific studies to reach a conclusion.
Last Updated:
02/2015Tox21: Toxicology Testing in the 21st Century
(797KB)
(797KB)
The Toxicology in the 21st Century program, or Tox21, is a unique collaboration between several federal agencies to develop new ways to rapidly test whether chemicals may affect human health.
Last Updated:
12/2019West Virginia Chemical Spill: NTP Research Response and Findings
(162KB)
(162KB)
The National Toxicology Program completed a series of studies on the toxicity of chemicals that spilled into the Elk River in West Virginia, January 2014.
Last Updated:
08/2019Worker Training Program
(660KB)
(660KB)
The Worker Training Program (WTP) provides healthand safety training for thousands of workers who may be involved in handling hazardous materials or in responding to emergency releases of hazardous materials. These workers gain new skills on how to safely handle, remove, and contain hazardous waste, such as chemicals, asbestos, radiation, and lead.
Last Updated:
10/2018to Top