Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, lucknow

About Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, lucknow

Established in 1965, the Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), Lucknow, a constituent laboratory of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is dedicated to provide health safeguards to industrial and agricultural workers through its rich knowledgebase, created painstakingly over the years. The main campus is located on Mahatma Gandhi Marg in the city, while the other campus is in village Gheru on Lucknow-Kanpur highway about 22 km from the main campus. he institute organises outreach programmes and public awareness camps to communicate the knowledge widely so that the information is put to practical use by regulators, policy makers and other scientists in industry, government and academies. Following services are being rendered to industries, public sector undertakings and Government R&D organizations: 1.Health Survey: Epidemiological surveys/studies on occupational diseases in industrial workers and the required remedial measures.

Environmental Monitoring: Air and water quality monitoring studies for industries as well as government organisations are undertaken.

Analytical Services: Analysis of metal, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons etc. in various samples inlcuding human tissues are undertaken with latest techniques.

Safety evaluation of Products: Agrochemicals, dyes, food additives, plastics and polymers, petrochemicals, cosmetics, detergents, organic & mineral fibers and particulate material are tested for their safety as per requirement of the registration authorities.

Food Adulterants: The Centre plays a major role in providing services to both private and Government sector for the identification and safety of food adulterants.

Ecotoxicological impact assessment

Toxicity of Chemicals: Studies on chemicals are undertaken using validated test systems to assess their: Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity Genotoxicity LD50 Phytotoxicity Photo oxidative damage Microbial conversion of liquid wastes to useful/utilizable commodities.

Screening of compounds. Using in vivo and rapid in vitro test systems, compounds are screened for various properties such as: Screening of the psychoactive compounds and neurotoxicants with the help of neurotransmitter receptor binding assays. Screening of compounds for their anti-apoptotic properties. Assessing the cytotoxicity of compounds. Screening compounds for their genotoxic potential. Toxicity tests, environmental monitoring, health survey studies and data evaluation & analysis are undertaken by well trained and experienced staff using national and international guidelines conforming to OECD, USEPA, BIS, ISO following Good Laboratory Practices. i.Human health risk assessment Clinical evaluation of exposed workers Lung function test (a) routine (b) specialised Laboratory investigations of exposed subjects including biological monitoring Epidemiological study and interpretation of data Consultancy for occupational health safety services ii.Environmental risk assessment Environmental impact assessment, preparation of environmental management plan and environmental monitoring Stack/process emission evaluation for SPM Ambient quality monitoring with respect to SPM, SO2 and NOx Environmental audit Particle size including respirable dust analysis Physical and chemical characterization of soil Evaluation of work environment including physical parameters like noise Disaster preparedness and management plans iii.Drinking and waste water quality analysis Physicochemical and biological parameters as per requirements of (a) Pollution Control Board for waste water, and (b) National Standards for drinking water iv.Chemical analysis of toxicants Chemical analysis of toxicants for safety assurance Radioactivity measurements (Beta and Gamma radiation) v.Safety evaluation of plastics Global migration test Complete physicochemical and biological tests Acute toxicity 90 day toxicity for new polymeric material including cytotoxicity vi.Ecotoxicity assessment Multi species tests for ecotoxicity evaluation Biomonitoring Technical data based consultancy Biodegradability/ecofriendliness Environmentally safe reuse of effluents for agriculture and aquaculture Safety evaluation and management of industrial solid wastes vii.Toxicokinetic studies viii.Toxicity to silkworm ix.Toxicity potentiation studies x.Toxicity tests Oral - Acute, Subacute, Chronic Dermal - Acute, Primary skin irritation, Irritation of mucous membrane, Skin sensitization, Phototoxicity Inhalation - Acute, Subacute, Chronic Gastrointestinal toxicity - Short & Long term Nephrotoxicity - Neurotoxicity evaluation Behavioral neurotoxicity testing - Short & Long term Safety evaluation of mineral dusts - In vivo, in vitro, ex vivo Reproductive toxicity evaluation Foetotoxic and teratological studies Single and multigeneration studies xi.Genotoxicity: Assessment of DNA damage using: Chromosomal abberrations Comet assay DNA adducts Sister chromatid exchange Alkaline elution Dominant lethal test Ames test Micronucleus test Alleum Cepa root tip test Fluorescent in situ hybridisation xii.Carcinogenicity Carcinogenicity Transplacental corcinogenesis Oncogene expression studies Tumour promoting Tumour initiating xiii.Immunotoxicity

Safety Evaluation of Industrial/Environmental Chemicals ITRC has been offering its services for the assessment and abatement of problems in occupational and environmental toxicology on sponsored basis. Toxicity evaluation is done using standard protocols in conformity with WHO/OECD guidelines.