1. What is acute toxicity?

Acute toxicity is a dramatic systemic toxic action caused by a single oral, dermal or inhalation exposure to a chemical substance. This action severely alters the functioning of the exposed organism, and can lead to death within a very short latency period.

The degree of severity always depends on the dose received.

Acute toxicity manifests itself in a variety of ways. They are the consequence of the blocking of vital functions, or the secondary effects of a localized action, for example :

• hydrocyanic acid (HCN) blocks the cellular respiratory chain (Krebs cycle) and stops the functioning of all affected cells, which die of anoxia;

• carbon monoxide (CO) binds to hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which prevents the exchange of oxygen in the blood;...