Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. It involves measuring and analyzing substances and pollutants to determine potential health threats to humans. Toxicologists determine safe exposure limits and dosages of questionable materials used in medicine, construction, and environmental quality control. The relationship between dose and its effects on the exposed organism is important in toxicology, as all substances can be toxic at certain doses or levels of exposure. Factors like exposure amount, duration, and an individual's susceptibility impact whether disease develops.

1. TOXICOLOGY
RANJEET KUMAR, Dr.R.Saravanan
FACULTY OF PHARMACY
BHARATH INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH,CHENNAI
ABSTRACT:
Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology,
and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on
living organisms
[1]
and the practice of diagnosing and treating exposures
to toxins and toxicants. The relationship between dose and its effects on the exposed
organism is of high significance in toxicology.
Technological and scientific advancements have been responsible for the creation of thousands of
new chemical compounds, many of which have the potential to pose a threat to human health.
Toxicology, a field that shifted from an empirical science to a volumetric science with the emergence
of chemistry in the nineteenth century, seeks to understand the effects these compounds have on
the world around us — in the environment, human body, and beyond.
Toxicology is the study of the effects of chemical, biological, and physical agents on living organisms,
particularly humans. Scientists and researchers working in this field measure and analyze
substances, particles, pollutants, and bacterium to determine the potential threats they pose to
humans and other living organisms. Public health practitioners rely on toxicologists to measures
what we cannot see and inform us of the hidden dangers that pose serious threats to health and
well-being.
Toxicology is critical in determining the materials, substances, and ingredients that can and cannot
be used across a variety of sectors, including medicine, construction, and air and water quality
control. Toxicologists can determine the proper dosage and safe exposure limits of any questionable
Not everyone will respond to substances in exactly the same way. Many factors, including the
amount and duration of exposure, an individual’s susceptibility to a substance, and a person’s age,
all impact whether a person will develop a disease or not. There are times in a person’s life when he
or she may be more susceptible to chemicals. These times may include periods of active cell
differentiation and growth in the womb and in early childhood, as well as during adolescence, when
the brain is continuing to develop. Just because someone is exposed to a harmful substance, does
not always mean they will get sick from it.
The dose of the chemical or substance a person is exposed to is another important factor in
toxicology. All substances have the potential to be toxic if given to humans and other living
organisms in certain conditions and at certain doses or levels. For example, one or two aspirins may
be good for you, but taking a bottle of aspirin may be harmful. The field of toxicology tries to
understand and identify at what dose and through what exposure a substance poses a hazard.
Toxicologists also realize that even low-dose exposures that may seem insignificant may have
biological meaning or lead to an adverse health effect if the exposure is continuous or happens
during a critical window of development.