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We’ve seen how biomonitoring 
can help us protect our health

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and improve our nutrition.

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Now, let’s find out how biomonitoring 
helps government agencies respond

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to emergency situations.

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When people are exposed to 
dangerous chemicals,

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public health officials 
need to act fast.

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Biomonitoring provides accurate 
information to help them

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make key decisions quickly.

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Through biomonitoring, 
scientists can find out

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what the chemical is, 
who has been exposed to it,

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and how much of it got 
into their bodies.

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CDC’s Environmental Health Laboratory 
works with public health laboratories

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in states, territories, cities, and counties 
to respond to health emergencies

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that involve chemicals, like 
chemical terrorism or industrial accidents.

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CDC’s Environmental Health Laboratory 
developed the Rapid Toxic Screen (RTS)

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for use in emergency situations.

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It’s a series of methods that scientists 
use to identify and measure more

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than 150 chemical threat agents —
chemicals that are harmful to our health

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— in blood or urine.

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RTS provides important information 
to medical personnel,

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public health professionals, 
and law enforcement officials.

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RTS results help guide lab testing 
and medical treatment for people

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who are affected by the chemical.

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To help state and local public health 
laboratories prepare to respond

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to future emergencies, 
the Environmental Health Laboratory

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provides routine training using 
Rapid Toxic Screen methods.

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The Environmental Health Laboratory 
also coordinates the

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Laboratory Response Network-Chemical (LRN-C),
a national network for responding to

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chemical terrorism and other 
public health emergencies.

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The LRN-C brings together 54 state 
and local public health

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laboratories that operate 24/7.

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During large-scale, national health emergencies, 
these state and local laboratories help CDC

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test samples and communicate 
with local health officials, hospitals,

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and poison control centers.

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They also support other important 
state and local public health programs.

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In emergency situations, 
CDC’s common reporting system

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allows laboratories across the country 
to share vital information quickly.

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When health officials, 
hospital emergency teams,

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and first responders have the 
information they need,

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they can make better decisions 
to support those affected by

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emergencies like chemical terrorist attacks.