Define toxicity, absorption and distribution. (15%) b. Describe how the physicochemical properties of benzene would affect its absorption and distribution in the body.  Toxicity, Absorption and Distribution: An Overview

A review of Toxicity and Absorption.

Toxicity is an umbrella term for the adverse effects that a substance can have on biological organisms. It may range in severity from mild to severe depending on how much and what type of exposure was taken. The effects of a toxic substance on an organism depend on several factors, including the route of exposure, the type of substance, and the organism’s ability to metabolize the toxin (Kumar & Kumari, 2020). A substance’s absorption refers to the way it is taken in from the surrounding environment. Absorption can take place through skin, lungs, and the gastrointestinal tract. The type and route of exposure will determine the amount of absorption. A substance might be more easily absorbed by the skin than through the lungs.
Distribution describes the act of transferring a substance to other parts of the body. It can happen through the circulatory, nervous, and other routes. Chemical properties such as molecular size and solubility determine the distribution of substances. One example is that a more soluble chemical may spread faster throughout the body than a lesssoluble one (Feng and al., 2002). Cont…