INTRO TO TOXICOLOGY Flashcards
(28 cards)
Is a broad, multidisciplinary science whose goal is to determine the effects of chemical agents on living organisms
TOXICOLOGY
Are those that are damaging to either the survival or normal function of the individual
Harmful or Adverse Effects
Describes the degree to which a substance is poisonous or can cause injury.
TOXICITY
Relates to poisonous or deadly effects on the body by inhalation (breathing), ingestion (eating), or absorption, or by direct contact with a chemical.
Toxic
- Any chemical that can injure or kill humans, animals, or plants; a poison.
- is used when talking about toxic substances that are produced by or are a by-product of human-made activities.
Toxicant
- Usually is used when talking about
toxic substances produced naturally. - A toxin is any poisonous substance of microbial (bacteria or other tiny plants or animals), vegetable, or synthetic chemical origin that reacts with specific cellular components to kill cells, alter growth or
development, or kill the organism.
Toxin
This term includes any feeling or sign
indicating the presence of a poison in the system.
Toxic symptoms
Refers to the health effects that occur due
to exposure to a toxic substance; also known as a poisonous effect on the body.
Toxic effects
Means that a chemical will produce injury to one kind of living matter without harming another form of life, even though the two may exist close together.
Selective Toxicity
- Is the actual amount of a chemical that enters the body.
- The amount of exposure and the type of
toxin will determine the toxic effect.
Dose
- relationship between exposure and health effect, that can be established by measuring the response relative to an increasing dose.
- This relationship is important in determining the toxicity of a particular substance.
Dose Response
- Also referred to as the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL), or the no effect level (NEL).
- These terms are often used by toxicologists when discussing the relationship between exposure and dose.
Threshold dose
This term describes the differences in types of responses to hazardous substances, between people.
Individual susceptibility
persons who are more at risk from illness due to exposure to hazardous substances
than the average, healthy person.
Sensitive sub- population
Single, short-term exposure to a substance.
Acute Toxicity
Repeated exposure for extended period
of time.
Chronic Toxicity
Is the dose that would be predicted to produce a toxic response in 50%
of the population.
TD 50
Is the dose that would predict the death in 50% of the population.
LD 50
Is the dose that would be predicted to be effective or have a therapeutic benefit in 50% of the population
ED 50
• Is concerned with the study of chemicals that contaminate food water, soil, or the atmosphere.
• It also deals with toxic substances that enter bodies of waters such as lakes, streams, rivers and oceans.
• This sub-discipline addresses the question of how various plants, animals, and humans are affected by exposure to toxic substances.
Environmental Toxicology
• Is concerned with health effects from exposure to chemicals in the workplace.
• This field grew out of a need to protect workers from toxic substances and to make their work environment safe.
Occupational (Industrial) Toxicology
• Gathers and evaluates existing toxicological information to establish
concentration-based standards of “safe” exposure.
• The standard is the level of a chemical that a person can be exposed
to without any harmful health effects.
Regulatory Toxicology
• Is involved in delivering a safe and edible supply of food to the consumer.
• A second area of interest includes food allergies.
Food Toxicology
• Concerned with diseases and illnesses
associated with short term or long term
exposure to toxic chemicals.
• Clinical toxicologists include emergency
room physicians who must be familiar with
the symptoms associated with exposure to a wide variety of toxic substances in order to administer the appropriate treatment.
Clinical Toxicology
