What is the term for the degree or extent to which a chemical or substance is poisonous?

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Prepare for the Iowa DOA CORE Pesticide Applicator's License Test. Study with flashcards, multiple choice questions, and detailed explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

What is the term for the degree or extent to which a chemical or substance is poisonous?

Explanation:
The degree to which a chemical is poisonous is called its toxicity. Toxicity is an inherent property of a substance—the potential to cause harm at a given dose. It’s different from exposure, which is about how much contact a person or organism has with the chemical; and from hazard, which combines toxicity with the likelihood of exposure in real situations. Persistence refers to how long the chemical remains active in the environment. So even a highly toxic substance can pose less hazard if exposure is minimal and proper safety measures are used; conversely, a less toxic chemical can be riskier if exposure is high.

The degree to which a chemical is poisonous is called its toxicity. Toxicity is an inherent property of a substance—the potential to cause harm at a given dose. It’s different from exposure, which is about how much contact a person or organism has with the chemical; and from hazard, which combines toxicity with the likelihood of exposure in real situations. Persistence refers to how long the chemical remains active in the environment. So even a highly toxic substance can pose less hazard if exposure is minimal and proper safety measures are used; conversely, a less toxic chemical can be riskier if exposure is high.

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