Does anyone know any dual claim, chemical and pesticide lawyers that are reasonable and safe in california

I'm studying for the DABT exam this year (started in January and taking the MAT course) and would be grateful for any tips and advice from folks who have taken it recently. The lack of practice exams for the new format has me feeling less prepared than I'd want. Here are some questions I'm curious about, though any advice is welcome and appreciated!

-Did you feel that the content and references outlined in the candidate handbook accurately reflected the exam? Do you recall any significant gaps?

-Were any chemical substances or classes overrepresented on the exam? E.g., PAHs, TCDD, PFAS

-The exam format now focuses more on interpretation/application of information (as opposed to information recall), but can you think of any information that would be particularly important to memorize?

-Did any material/content surprise you?

Thanks for your time!

Reading a book wherein the villain is developing a poison and using it to make animals behave aggressively. The poison is not named, but described at one point as "metallic," so in my mind, it's like mercury (which does have degrading effects on mental capacity as it accumulates).

At one point, a dosed animal bites a person, and the person starts developing symptoms.

However, this poison is shown/described as only being chemical in nature. So not viral nor bacterial nor from any other biological living cause. To me, this puts it in the realm of pure fantasy, because I've never heard of a chemical-only poison that can be transmitted in this way. (Like, if the poisoned corpse of an animal was eaten, then yes, the poison could be introduced in high enough quantities to the thing eating the corpse, but that's not what's happening here.)

So, my question is, am I correct, and this is not really possible?

This is a teen/YA fantasy book, so I'm not trying to attack the author for the silliness of this concept, just wondering if there's any basis in reality for this (I understand the author was probably going for "rabies but like mercury and made by a person using a chemistry set," which is fine, but my brain just latched on to this and is refusing to let it go, ergo my asking here).

Honey is probably not something most people associate with toxicology, but some varieties can contain grayanotoxins that cause significant cardiovascular and neurological effects.

In this week's episode of The Tox Lab, we're diving into the world of mad honey and grayanotoxin poisoning.

We discuss:

• Where mad honey comes from and its cultural uses

• What grayanotoxins are and how they affect voltage-gated sodium channels

• Why grayanotoxin poisoning can cause severe bradycardia, hypotension and cardiac conduction abnormalities

• Neurological effects including dizziness and, in some cases, hallucinations

• Reported cases of mad honey poisoning, including a severe case in Nepal

• A UK case involving imported raw honey

• Why varying grayanotoxin concentrations can make the effects of mad honey difficult to predict

One of the interesting things about mad honey is the contrast between the familiar nature of the product and the potentially serious effects of the toxins it contains.

So what actually happens in grayanotoxin poisoning, and why can mad honey cause such profound cardiovascular effects?

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1778531114

Rebecca and Rob 🧪

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Is this Osmolar Gap calculation correct? A blood test showed a measured osmolality of 386 mosm/kg against a normal range of 280–295, so there was a gap of 83 mosmol/kg.

These were the blood sample findings:

Ethanol: 24.3 mg/dL ÷ 3.7 − 0.35 = 6.22

Methanol: 17 mg/dL ÷ 3.2 = 5.31

Ethylene glycol: 2.3 mg/dL ÷ 6.2 = 0.37

Isopropanol: 24.1 mg/dL ÷ 6.0 = 4.02

Acetone: 21.2 mg/dL ÷ 5.8 = 3.66

Total: approximately 19.6 mOsm/kg

So I can only make the gap make 19.6 mOsm/kg not 83 mosmol/kg.

I used the conversion factors reported by Greene and Krasowski (2020) for methanol, ethylene glycol, iso-propanol and acetone, together with the ethanol formula developed and validated by Purssell and colleagues (2001).

Hi there, hopefully this is the right place to share this. I have been struggling with anxiety/ ocd over a fear of toxins for 5 years now. Currently my main trigger that makes me spiral are pesticides/ herbicides. If I see them being sprayed somewhere near my home, or near my car while driving, or even see bottles of "toxic" product in stores, I have such a hard time and I spiral almost every time. I'm constantly getting my car washed for fear my car is carrying something on it, do too many cleaning routines in my home for it (if i'm afraid something got contaminated), and it's gotten so bad I've been having a hard time leaving my house because i've driven past people spraying so many times lately (I think it's because i'm looking out for it whereas most people just don't notice). I know this is irrational thinking, but it's frustrating because I still have such a hard time getting over it. I am/ have been in therapy for a while and have tried many methods to get through this. My main fear is that my kids could get a disease from exposure.

So my question is, is anyone able to help me rationalize this fear to any extent? It's just very exhausting and these chemicals clearly aren't going away any time soon. I have google searched and asked AI all of the questions but it never seems to help (really just makes it worse), so I wanted to ask real people. I was going to ask in the health anxiety subreddit, but it would not let me . Please be kind in responses :) thanks

I've read these page sections, but it's a bit confusing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera#Toxicity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera#Uses

It makes it sound like aloe products shouldn't be ingested at all? Which seems strange to me because aloe vera juice exists, some people claim aloe vera latex or aloin is a laxative, and because an aloe vera product (I think aloe vera gel) is used in some toothpastes.

I'm also not sure what "aloe vera whole leaf extract" and "non-decolorized aloe vera leaf extract" are exactly, and it's unclear if the page is saying aloe extracts should be avoided topically or just when ingested.

It also says "Use of aloe vera on the skin is generally not associated with significant side effects." and "Use of topical aloe vera in small amounts is likely to be safe." but says "Aloe vera and its (alcohol) extracts have potential toxicity, with side effects occurring at some dose levels both when ingested and when applied topically." and "The gel has an acid pH of 4.4. to 4.7, possibly causing a burning sensation or rash when applied to skin."

Well, are aloe vera products harmless when used topically or not? And are aloe vera products harmless to ingest or not?

Fundamentals of Toxicology: Essential Concepts and

Applications, P.K.Gupta

This week's episode of The Tox Lab is all about one of the most deceptively difficult parts of toxicology: interpreting the result.

A concentration might look like a straightforward number, but without the right context, it can be surprisingly difficult to know what it actually means.

We discuss:

• The clinical, analytical, pharmacological and contextual information needed to interpret toxicology results

• Biases that can influence toxicology result interpretation

• Why reference intervals aren't necessarily as useful or straightforward as they might appear

• Whether AI and large language models can accurately interpret toxicology results• Common mistakes AI makes when interpreting drug concentrations

• The risks of interpreting results without sufficient context

One of the questions we explore is whether AI could actually help with toxicology interpretation, or whether confidently producing an answer without understanding the clinical context creates a new set of problems.

It also raises a broader question: how much information do you actually need before a toxicology result can be meaningfully interpreted?

If someone gave you a drug concentration with absolutely no other information, what would be the first thing you'd want to know?

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1778531114

Rebecca and Rob 🧪

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Y’all ever seem cocktail glasses like this? I don’t recall exactly when or where I got them, but I know it was around the time I was in school or just graduated (B.S. Toxicology, 1985). I have never seen another set. (Just looked them up 😳 Holy Cow!! They’re expensive!!)

Hi,

when performing read-across between chemicals for toxicity assessment, which chemical structure similarity measure and descriptor are best suited for the purpose of assessing biological effects? there are like Dice vs Tanimoto, and RDKit Mol vs MACCS vs Toxprint. Any thoughts? or references? thanks!

What are your thoughts on this? I'm vegetarian so I'm curious

I'm not super worried personally. I'm from America so there are much worse chemicals and ingredients than potentially trace amounts of mycotoxins.

I'm curious to hear other people's reactions or concerns though.

https://scitechdaily.com/almost-all-plant-based-meat-alternatives-contain-mycotoxins-study-finds/

Hi everyone!
I’m a high school student currently working on my capstone project about endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their effects on human health and the environment. I’m looking for someone with knowledge or experience in this area who would be willing to serve as a mentor for my project.
The time commitment would be fairly small. We would meet virtually through Zoom about once every 4–5 weeks, with each meeting lasting around 30–60 minutes. I’m completely willing to work around your personal/work schedule, and we can communicate and schedule meetings through email.
My mentor would mainly help by answering occasional questions, giving me guidance on my research, and helping me make sure I’m understanding the science correctly. You wouldn’t be expected to do any of the project for me.
Someone with experience in environmental science, toxicology, endocrinology, biology, public health, chemistry, or research involving EDCs would be especially helpful, but I’m open to anyone with relevant knowledge or experience.
If you might be interested, please comment or send me a message! I’d be happy to provide more information about my capstone project and my school’s mentor requirements.
Thank you so much!

Hello, I am currently a 3rd year pharmacy student in Australia and during my studies I have realised I would much rather help the environment and vulnerable people and species by reducing the toxic effects of various chemicals than having a specific community/hospital focus.

I am interested in things like harmful effects of pesticides (god knows Australian regulations need work here), toxic byproducts of industrial methods for extracting desired drugs and generally polluting chemicals, antimicrobial resistance in waterways- and mitigating impacts they have on people and the environment.

I think the best way for me to fulfil this would be through regulatory toxicology (with a focus on the environment).

However, I'm not sure how to go about swapping from pharmacy to that kind of career.

Should I do a PhD in an area relevant to toxicology and drugs after graduating? I am in an honours course and supposedly the major I am planning to go with is a good basis as it involves a long research project.

Or, would it be more advantageous to do a postgraduate degree of some kind (masters, diploma) in toxicology/environmental science?

In the meantime, I am very eager to get some kind of job remotely related to my desired career, but I believe my current knowledge isn't up to scratch. I plan to continue my own research, but is there any relevant role that I could have a chance at currently?

Of note, as the "honours" part of the pharmacy course we do a long project (technically a full year, but any research and lab work would take place over one semester/half year), and I am interested in a supercritical fluid technology (specifically CO2) project that is offered for next year. It is the only project that seems to lean into my interests in terms of reducing toxic solvent use in industry for example (among many other uses for SCF)- it will involve HPLC/MS exposure. I thought this might be a good foundation for a somewhat related PhD?

TLDR: 3rd year pharmacy student would love to help the environment mainly through regulation of harmful pollutants, but not sure how best to earn qualification for such a role- PhD? A masters in env toxicology (if they'll take me)? Also if anyone has suggestions for a relevant job (eh env. Consulting?) that might consider me at this stage that would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you so much.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working in Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance and managing Cleaning Validation protocols for shared manufacturing facilities. As you know, per the EMA guidelines and ICH Q3C/Q3D, we are required to calculate Health-Based Exposure Limits (HBELs), specifically Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE) or Acceptable Daily Exposure (ADE), to establish our Maximum Safe Carryover (MSC) limits.

While calculating the PDE formula itself is straightforward, the real bottleneck is sourcing reliable, peer-reviewed NOAEL or LOAEL values for various APIs (e.g., Highly potent drugs like Clonazepam, Dexamethasone, or even common APIs).

My questions for the toxicologists and regulatory experts here are:

1. Where do you usually source your toxicological data? Are there specific open-access databases (like TOXNET, ECHA, EPA, FDA databases) or proprietary compendia that you consider the "gold standard" for pharmaceutical APIs?
2. Are there any reliable, ready-made databases or published monographs that provide pre-calculated PDE/ADE values for common generic APIs, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel and extrapolate from animal studies every time?
3. For those working in pharma, do you rely entirely on MSDS/SDS provided by raw material suppliers, or do you have a specific literature-mining strategy when the NOAEL is missing from the SDS?

Any guidance, recommended literature, or links to free databases would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your time and expertise!

We are purchasing a new home and plan to replace approximately 1,400 sq ft of existing carpeting. My wife has strong chemical sensitivities to the VOCs and off-gassing commonly associated with standard carpets and LVP, so minimizing chemical exposure is our primary requirement.

We are currently looking into solid hardwood, specifically hickory, oak, or maple.

For those who have navigated allergies or chemical sensitivities during a remodel:

What has been your experience with off-gassing when replacing floors?

Beyond solid wood, what specific materials or finishes have you found to be the safest, lowest-emission alternatives?

Are there specific installation methods, underlayments, or adhesives we should avoid?

Appreciate the factual insights.

I'm a 12 year old studying toxicology, specifically medical toxicology,I would like to pursue being a medical toxicologist someday,I'm currently studying about anatomy, physiology and toxidromes,I'm already preparing for college at a young age because I really want to be a toxicologist someday I would like opinions and thoughts,thank you

I have searched the internet and the few medical texts I own to determine the dangers of nicotine on its own, absent tobacco or any other primary substances currently used. More often than not, all of the dangers listed are identical to the dangers of tobacco, nothing more, nothing less.

I’m a harm reductionist using vapes to originally cut back my cigarette smoking and eventually wean off entirely. I have successfully cut back my vaping (which is 5% nicotine) and can alternate between a mullein air vape and my nicotine vape with no ill effects, but I don’t feel I’ve found a trustworthy source on the harms (if any) of plain nicotine. I just want to know the science, I’ll accept it either way. I’m not asking to argue, I’m asking to learn.

Thank you in advance. ✌️

Fentanyl is one of the most important synthetic opioids encountered in toxicology, but there are some interesting questions around both its clinical risks and how we interpret laboratory results.

In this week's episode of The Tox Lab, we explore:

• Fentanyl patch-related deaths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Prevention of Future Deaths reports and lessons for preventing future fentanyl-related deaths

• Fentanyl immunoassay cut-offs and how these are applied in different clinical and toxicological scenarios

• Why the choice of an immunoassay cut-off matters when interpreting results

• 4-ANPP as a minor fentanyl metabolite

• The role of 4-ANPP as a precursor and impurity associated with illicit fentanyl manufacture

• The potential value and limitations of 4-ANPP in toxicological interpretation

This episode highlights that fentanyl toxicology is rarely defined by a single result, but by the context, thresholds and chemistry that sit behind it.

🎧 Listen now: https://pod.link/1778531114

Rebecca and Rob 🧪

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Hey all! Author here. I’m writing a historical mystery and need help with making a plot point realistic. I’m planning on having one of my novel’s victims be poisoned by a cigarette. I’m having trouble figuring out the acute symptoms and timeline to death of various poisons. Since the book is set in 1959 in rural Scotland, there’s any number of poisons that I could use. I was thinking arsenic since it would be readily available in this time pair period as a rodenticide and generally kills pretty quickly. But HOW quickly? And is it caustic enough to prevent the victim from communicating after inhaling the poison in a cigarette?

What other poisons should I consider? I would love to use something unusual if yall have any suggestions!

edit: what about mercury? I feel like the flavor would be godawful, but could someone theoretically inject it into a cigarette and then the person die from such a direct inhalation of the fume? I feel like a crazy person googling this stuff Lol

I'm a first year university student and i'm not entirely sure what career i want. right now i plan to major in forensic chemistry and get a minor in biology. i am currently deciding between being a forensic toxicologist and a morgue technician. my only gripe with toxicology in this instance is that the actual day to day operations don't seem very exciting/involved from what i've seen. i went on a tour of a forensics center in my area and the toxicology lab just seems rather bleak and far less exciting than the other departments, but im not sure if that's just because of the circumstances that day, the people who gave that part of the tour, etc., or if that really just is how it goes for them every day. i had the opportunity to view part of an autopsy and the morgue techs seemed to have "fun" (for lack of better wording), and obviously it is a very involved job where things are always different, and i also like the idea of being able to actually DO something rather just just run things through a machine like how it seemed in the tox department.

that being said, what does an actual work day look like for a forensic toxicologist? what do YOU actually get to do? what parts of your education do you use the most (o chem, physics, math, etc.)? give me all the details please!