Chronic toxicity is dangerous over an extended period of exposure, unlike acute toxicity. Substances that appear safe can cause toxicity to develop over time. Toxins can cause chronic toxicity by harming the body through small exposures or lingering in the body. Organisms can be exposed to compounds that cause chronic toxicity through ingestion, absorption, or skin contact. Chronic toxicity studies are important to reveal problems with long-term exposure.
Chronic toxicity is a property exhibited by toxins that can be dangerous over an extended period of exposure. This is in contrast to acute toxicity, which is characterized by a high level of toxicity after a single exposure. Understanding chronic toxicity is important, because substances that appear safe can actually cause toxicity to develop over time in exposed organisms.
There are two ways a substance can cause chronic toxicity. Some toxins work by harming the body through a series of small exposures. A classic example is tobacco. A single cigarette is unlikely to have a toxic effect on anyone, but smoking numerous cigarettes over the course of a lifetime will cause toxicity to develop. Other toxins act by lingering in the body. Radium, for example, will persist in bones over a long period of time, causing lingering health problems and chronic toxicity.
Organisms can be exposed to compounds that cause chronic toxicity in several ways. Many are ingested through the air, water and food products. Others can be absorbed, such as compounds that emit harmful radiation that enter the body or compounds that can be absorbed through the skin. Someone who works in a chemical plant, for example, could develop chronic toxicity due to not using the appropriate safety equipment and slowly absorbing low doses of toxins over time.
Some noxious substances that cause chronic toxicity can also cause acute toxicity if exposure is high enough. Alcohol is a prime example. Many of the health problems associated with alcohol use are the result of chronic toxicity, with the patient developing problems over time from regular drinking. However, people can also develop alcohol poisoning from drinking too much alcohol too quickly, potentially dying or becoming seriously ill from a single exposure.
When compounds are researched to determine whether or not they are safe, a chronic toxicity study may be performed. Initial research may demonstrate that the substance does not cause acute toxicity or that the dose required for acute toxicity is so high that it is of no concern. A chronic toxicity study may reveal problems with long-term exposure that may not be readily apparent in the results of shorter studies. Studying toxicity following prolonged exposure is also an ongoing topic, with researchers looking for trends in the general population and seeing if they can be traced to specific exposures.
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