Chronic toxicity

Chronic toxicity is a property of a substance that has toxiceffects on a living organism, when that organism is exposed to the substance continuously or repeatedly. Compare to acute toxicity.

Two distinct situations need to be considered.

• Prolonged exposure to a substance

For example if a person drinks too much alcoholon a regular basis then their health may suffer as a result. The alcohol does not have a long biological halflifebut it is supplied on a regular basis to the body of the person.

• Prolonged internal exposure due to the fact that a substance remains in the body for a long time

For example if a person was to injest radiumit much of it would be absorbed into the bones where it will exert a harmful effect on a persons health. The radium might cause a disturbance in the blood cell forming part of the bone (bone marrow)

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic+toxicity Wikipedia article Chronic toxicity.