Toxicity

Toxicity is the measure of how poisonous or harmful a substance can be to living organisms. Many industrial and environmental chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food additives are tested for toxicity in order to determine the risk associated with their use. Toxicity is also an important factor when assessing the safety of drinking water and in the regulation of agricultural pest control. Toxicity levels are typically monitored, so that if levels become too dangerous, appropriate measures can be taken to mitigate the risk and keep people safe.