Regulators assess toxicity through a combination of laboratory testing, epidemiological studies, and computational models. They focus on several key factors:
Dosage: Determining the amount of a substance that causes harmful effects. Exposure Routes: Evaluating how individuals come into contact with the substance (e.g., inhalation, ingestion, dermal contact). Duration of Exposure: Considering both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) exposure scenarios. Toxicokinetics and Toxicodynamics: Understanding how a substance is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the body, as well as its mechanism of action at the cellular or molecular level.
