EFFECTS OF TOXIC

By sudden or short term exposures:

The ill-health effects caused by one-time,
sudden, high exposures are called "acute
toxicity" effects. Examples:
Inhalation of high concentrations of acid
vapours might cause serious burns of the
mouth and airways leading to the lungs.
Skin contact with substantial amounts of
certain organic solvents that are
absorbed through the skin may cause
dizziness and nausea.
Inhalation of dusts can cause irritation of
the respiratory tract, dryness in the
throat, and coughing
TOXIC
By repeated exposures over a long
Toxic industrial chemicals are industrial chemicals that are
period of time
manufactured, stored, transported, and used throughout the
Ill-health effects caused in such situations
world. Toxic industrial chemicals can be in the gas, liquid, or
are often called "chronic toxicity" effects:
solid state. They can be chemical hazards (e.g., carcinogens,
Inhalation of certain acid vapours at
reproductive hazards, corrosives, or agents that affect the
concentrations which do not cause acute
lungs or blood) or physical hazards (e.g., flammable,
toxicity may, over long periods of time,
combustible, explosive, or reactive). The following table lists
cause loss of tooth enamel, eventually
the most common TICs listed by their hazard index
leading to extensive tooth decay.
Inhalation and skin absorption of some
Condition required: What make chemicals toxic? organic solvents at concentrations which
There are several factors which can influence the degree of do not cause acute toxicity may, over
poisoning caused by a chemical. These are as follows long periods of time, cause damage to
Route of entry into the body nerve tissue.
Amount or dose entering the body Repeated exposure to dusts containing
Toxicity of the chemical quartz can cause scar tissue in the lungs.
Removal from the bodyBiological variation This leads to severe and permanent lung
damage
Mechanism of toxicity: Why does the amount or dose
entering the body matter? MITIGATION
The amount or dose of a chemical entering the body is probably
the single most important factor which determines whether a Wear appropriate personal protective
chemical will cause poisoning. The amount of a chemical which equipment (if necessary) to avoid
causes poisoning depends on the chemical. exposure (eye, respiratory or skin) or
contact with contaminated
Consider, for example, what happens when water is drunk on a equipment/surfaces.
warm summer day. The water cools the body and quenches the Be aware of the typical symptoms of
thirst. Normally, water would be classified as a harmless poisoning and first aid procedures.
chemical. What if instead of just one glass, many glasses were Report any signs of illness or
consumed one after the other, non-stop. A point would be overexposure immediately to the
reached where beneficial effects would disappear and harmful supervisor. Depending on the
effects would start to be noticed. Drinking too much water material, medical attention for an
causes water intoxication. In severe cases, this kind of poisoning exposure may be required even if the
causes convulsions and seizures. There are reports of such exposure did not seem excessive.
poisoning in small children and in psychiatric patients. The With some materials, symptoms of a
reason water "changes" from being harmless to being harmful is severe exposure can be delayed.
directly related to the amount of it taken into the body at one Do not return contaminated or
time. Drinking "too much" water causes the toxicity. Taking "too unused material to the original
much" of a chemical into the body causes toxicity. This relation container.
is true for all chemicals regardless of whether they are natural or
man-made.