Toxicology
Because workers tend to be exposed to higher levels of chemicals than the general population, they are in danger of being unwittingly poisoned at rates higher than the general population.
Asbestos, as an example, was widely known in antiquity but use increased because of the industrial revolution. It has been used in textiles, building materials, insulation, and brake linings. Asbestos can cause severe lung damage, including asbestosis and mesothelioma; therefore, it is now strictly regulated.
Today, we are not only concerned about workers exposed to traditional industrial chemicals, but also to those used in the electronics industry, as well as bio- and nano-engineered products.
What is Toxicology?
Toxicology is traditionally defined as "the science of poisons." A poison is any substance (including radiation, sound, and chemicals) that has an adverse effect on human health. The basic principle of toxicology is "the dose makes the poison."
Over time, our understanding of how various agents can cause harm to humans and other organisms has increased. As a result, a more descriptive definition of toxicology has evolved as "the study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical, or biological agents on living organisms and the ecosystem, including the prevention and amelioration of such adverse effects."
A toxicologist is a scientist who determines the harmful effects of agents and the cellular, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms responsible for the effects.
These adverse effects can take many forms, ranging from immediate death to subtle changes not appreciated until months or years later. They may occur at various levels within the body, such as an organ, a type of cell, or a specific biochemical.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-1. Toxicology may be defined as _____.
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