TOXICOKINETICS IN HELPING OF DIAGNOSES AND TREATMENT OF CHEMICAL POISONING

摘要

The increasing prevalence of toxic substances in the environment has become a matter of public interest as a complex public health problem. The main goal of preventive toxicology is to reduce exposure to potentially harmful substances to the levels that do not cause toxic effects. First step on this way is the assessment of exposure. Traditionally, this has been done through air sampling and measurements. But it is not quite enough to evaluate the real picture of the exposure, as concentrations of a chemical in the ambient air are not always very closely related to the amounts absorbed. Concentrations in the air are seldom stable but fluctuate with time and are different in various locations. Many chemicals are effectively absorbed through the skin, and this route of exposure is not at all related to concentrations of the chemical in the air. The particle sizes of various dusts profoundly affect their deposition patterns in the airways and thus their absorption. Personal life style and habits vary, and individuals may absorb different amounts of chemicals in superficially similar conditions It is thus quite evident why it is necessary to use biological monitoring of harmful substances to evaluate exposure and to take follow- up preventive measures to reduce the health impact.