TCEQ Toxicology

The Toxicology, Risk Assessment, and Research Division helps the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) make scientifically sound decisions by applying toxicological principles when evaluating environmental data, issuing authorizations, developing environmental regulations and making policy decisions. TCEQ toxicologists identify chemical hazards, evaluate potential exposures, assess human health risks and communicate risk to the general public and stakeholders.

Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. A toxicologist is trained to examine the nature of those effects and assess the probability of their occurrence. Toxicology is used to help the TCEQ make scientifically sound decisions when developing environmental regulations and policy. TCEQ toxicologists help by identifying chemical hazards, evaluating potential exposures, and assessing risks.

TCEQ toxicologists provide toxicological support for a broad range of agency activities. They assist with stakeholder meetings and drafting rules, as well as making technical recommendations regarding agency permitting, monitoring, and enforcement.

TCEQ Toxicologists:

• Develop toxicity factors to determine the safe level of chemicals in environmental media (air, water, waste);
• Evaluate chemical concentrations in air, water, and waste for the potential to cause harm to human health or the environment, in support of all TCEQ programs and regional offices;
• Conduct toxicological evaluations of air permit applications;
• Contribute toxicological expertise to agency enforcement and emergency-response activities;
• Coordinate all agency activities that assess risks to human health;
• Review baseline risk assessments and other remediation-related documents submitted under the Texas Risk Reduction Program and the Risk Reduction Rules for state and federal Superfund sites;
• Notify private drinking water well owners of potential groundwater contamination as required by legislation in Texas Water Code 26.408, also known as House Bill 3030;
• Conduct scientific research to address questions of environmental risk important to the state of Texas;
• Communicate risk to the general public, the media, stakeholders, and policy makers; and
• Stay abreast of environmental-health issues and initiatives emerging nationally.

In all areas of responsibility, the division strives to ensure consistency of reviews across the agency.

E-mail us at tox@tceq.texas.gov. If you wish to reach a particular staff member, please put “Attn:” and the staffer’s name in the subject line.

Phone Numbers

Toll-Free: 1-877-992-8370
Local: 512/239-1795
Fax: 512/239-1794

Toxicology Division Director

Sabine Lange, PhD, DABT

Toxicology Division Section Manager

Darrell McCant, MPH, DABT

Toxicologists

Stanley Aniagu, PhD, DABT

Mike Aplin, MS

Angela Curry, MS

Caroline Emery, MS

Janet Hamilton, PhD, DABT

Joseph Haney, MS

Allison Jenkins, MPH

Stony Lo, PhD

Nnamdi Nnoli, PhD

Tracie Phillips, PhD

Evelyn Reategui-Zirena, PhD, DABT

Kaitlin Rentschler, MS

Anthony Tran, MS

Mingyuan Wei, PhD

Lisa Westbrook, MS