Aquilent helped develop TOXMAP, which allows users to create maps to visually explore environmental data such as the amount and location of toxic chemicals released and then overlay census, economic and health data.

• the objective_

• To create a web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) for the National Library of Medicine (NLM) that enables users to explore environmental health data such as the amount and location of toxic chemicals released into the environment or present in hazardous waste sites.

• the solution_

• Aquilent worked with NLM to develop TOXMAP to show the geographic distribution of chemical releases and to illustrate how these releases change over time. The tool uses chemical and geographic terms to search bibliographic files and provides context-sensitive links to authoritative sources of chemical information from the NLM. The system provides:

  • Ability to access, search, and geographically display and download data derived from the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and Superfund programs, which provide information on the release of toxic chemicals into the environment as reported annually by industrial facilities across the United States.
  • Links to the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB), ChemIDplus, and the Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) toxicology and environmental health databases.
  • Overlay of census, income, and cancer/disease mortality data.

• the payoff_

• Focus groups, usability testing, and direct user feedback were key elements in TOXMAP’s design and success. It has been featured at American Public Health Association annual meetings, the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association conference, the Medical Library Association, the TRI National Training Conference, and several ESRI trade Conferences.

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