Radioactive Biohazard
symbol Toxic hazard symbol
symbol
Different types of
toxins
•Hemotoxin , causes destruction of red blood cells.
•Phototoxin , causes dangerous photosensitivity.
•Biotoxins-The term "biotoxin" is sometimes used to
explicitly confirm the biological origin.
•Biotoxins in nature have two primary
functions: Predation in the spider,
snake, scorpion, jellyfish, wasp
•Defense in the bee, ant, termite,
honeybee, wasp, poison dart frog.
•The term "environmental toxin" can sometimes explicitly
include synthetic contaminants such as industrial pollutants
and other artificially made toxic substances.
The degree to which a substance (a
toxin or poison) can harm humans or
animals.
Acute toxicity involves harmful
effects in an organism through a single
or short-term exposure.
Subchronic toxicity is the ability of a
toxic substance to cause effects for
more than one year but less than the
lifetime of the exposed organism.
Chronic toxicity is the ability of a
substance or mixture of substances to
cause harmful effects over an extended
period, usually upon repeated or
continuous exposure, sometimes lasting
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can
damage an organism . Toxicity can refer to the effect
on a whole organism, such as an animal , bacterium ,
or plant , as well as the effect on a substructure of the
organism, such as a cell (cytotoxicity) or an organ
such as the liver (hepatotoxicity). By extension, the
word may be metaphorically used to describe toxic
effects on larger and more complex groups, such as
the family unit or society at large.
A central concept of toxicology
is that effects
are dose-dependent; even
water can lead to water
intoxication when taken in too
high a dose, whereas for even
a very toxic substance such
as snake venom there is a
dose below which there.
TYPES OF
TOXICITY
There are generally three types of toxic entities; chemical, biological,
and physical:
Chemical toxicants include inorganic substances such
as lead, mercury, hydrofluoric acid, and chlorine gas, and organic
compounds such as methyl alcohol , most medications, and poisons
from living things.
Biological toxicants include bacteria and viruses that can induce
disease in living organisms. Biological toxicity can be difficult to
measure because the "threshold dose" may be a single organism.
Theoretically one virus, bacterium or worm can reproduce to cause a
serious infection.
Physical toxicants are substances that, due to their physical nature,
interfere with biological processes. Examples
include coal dust, asbestos fibers or finely divided silicon dioxide , all of
which can ultimately be fatal if inhaled. Corrosive chemicals possess
physical toxicity because they destroy tissues, but they're not directly
poisonous unless they interfere directly with biological activity.
The preclinical toxicity testing on various biological
systems reveals the species-, organ- and dose-
specific toxic effects of an investigational product.
The toxicity of substances can be observed by
(a) studying the accidental exposures to a
substance
(b) in vitro studies using cells/ cell lines
(c) in vivo exposure on experimental animals.
Toxicity tests are mostly used to examine specific
adverse events or specific end points such as
cancer, cardiotoxicity, and skin/eye irritation.
Toxicity testing also helps calculate the No
Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) dose and is
helpful for clinical studies.
An antitoxin is an antibody with the ability to
neutralize a specific toxin . Antitoxins are
produced by certain animals, plants , and
bacteria . Although they are most effective in
neutralizing toxins, they can kill bacteria and
other microorganisms. Antitoxins are made
within organisms, but can be injected into
other organisms, including humans.
antitoxin, antibody , formed in the body
by the introduction of a bacterial poison, or
toxin, and capable of neutralizing the toxin.
People who have recovered from bacterial
illnesses often develop specific antitoxins
that confer immunity against recurrence.
For medical use in treating human
infectious diseases, antitoxins are produced
by injecting an animal with toxin; the
animal, most commonly a horse, is given
repeated small doses of toxin until a high
concentration of the antitoxin builds up in
the blood. The resulting highly
concentrated preparation of antitoxins is
called an antiserum.
TYPES OF ANTITOXINS
antitoxin - particular kind of ANTIBODY produced in the
body in response to the presence of a toxin.
botulism antitoxin an equine antitoxin against the
toxins produced by the types A and B and/ or E strains
of Clostridium botulinum; administered intravenously in
the postexposure prophylaxis and treatment of botulism
, other than infant botulism . Generally trivalent (ABE)
antitoxin is used.
diphtheria antitoxin equine antitoxin from horses
immunized against diphtheria toxin or the toxoid ;
administered intramuscularly or intravenously in the
treatment of suspected cases of diphtheria.
equine antitoxin an antitoxin derived from the blood of
healthy horses immunized against a specific bacterial
toxin.
Types of anti toxins
tetanus antitoxin - equine antitoxin from horses that
have been immunized against tetanus toxin or toxoid ;
used for the passive prevention and treatment of
tetanus. It is rarely used, tetanus immune globulin being
preferred.
Or
preparation from the blood serum or plasma of healthy
animals immunized against tetanus toxin. Used for
prophylaxis after injury because of its immediate effect.
Active immunization is preferred for long-term
protection, particularly for many clostridial diseases
such as tetanus.
gas gangrene antitoxin - serum containing antitoxic
antibodies; prepared from the blood of healthy animals
immunized against gas-producing organisms of the
genus Clostridium.
Effects of toxins
The types of toxicities where substances may
cause lethality to the entire body, lethality to
specific organs, major/minor damage, or cause
cancer. These are globally accepted definitions
of what toxicity is. Anything falling outside of the
definition cannot be classified as that type of
toxicant.
Skin corrosion and irritation are determined
though a skin patch test analysis. This examines
the severity of the damage done; when it is
incurred and how long it remains; whether it is
reversible and how many test subjects were
affected.
Effects of toxins
• Other categories of toxicity
• Respiratory sensitizers cause breathing hypersensitivity when
the substance is inhaled.
• A substance which is a skin sensitizer causes an allergic
• response from a dermal application.
• Carcinogens induce cancer, or increase the likelihood of
cancer occurring.
• Reproductively toxic substances cause adverse effects in either
sexual function or fertility to either a parent or the offspring.
• Specific-target organ toxins damage only specific organs.
Aspiration hazards are solids or liquids which can cause
damage through inhalation.
Effect of toxins
• Toxicity of a substance can be affected by
many different factors, such as the pathway of
administration (whether the toxin is applied to
the skin, ingested, inhaled, injected), the of
exposure (a brief encounter or long term),
time the number of exposures (a single dose
or multiple doses over time), the physical
form of the toxin (solid, liquid, gas), the
genetic makeup of an individual, an
individual's overall health, and many others.
