ABSTRACT
Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. Like medicine, toxicology is both a science and an art; the science portion of toxicology deals with the observational or data-gathering and the art portion deals with prediction. One of the objectives of studies in toxicology is to produce harmful effects, measure and analyze the doses at which toxicity occurs, and assess the probability that injury or illness will occur under specified conditions of use. Adverse or toxic effects in a biologic system are not produced by a chemical unless that chemical or its metabolites reach appropriate sites in the body at a concentration and for a length of time sufficient to produce the toxic manifestation. The most common route of occupational exposure is inhalation or pulmonary absorption. The problem of ingesting chemicals is not widespread but accidental swallowing does occur.
