ABSTRACT
You, the reader, and we, the authors, have something in common. We are continuously breathing to provide oxygen to fuel metabolism and to eliminate CO2 from our bodies. We must inhale whatever is in the air, including a wide range of gases and particles, in our home, workplace, or wherever we are, or take extraordinary measures to obtain purified air. Concern for the quality of air has prompted personal and collective actions to control air pollution in the workplace, in our homes, and in the ambient air. This has included both voluntary and legislated actions informed by scientific knowledge acquired from research. This chapter describes the research activities carried out in the interrelated fields of inhalation toxicology and respiratory toxicology. Inhalation toxicology, strictly defined, is the science of inhaled agents and how they interact with and affect the body. Respiratory toxicology, strictly defined, is the science of how agents may interact with and affect the respiratory tract. Obviously, the two fields are closely related and, frequently, the terms are used interchangeably.
