In toxicology, several types of control samples are used:
- Negative Controls: These are samples that do not contain the test substance. They help verify that any observed effects are truly due to the test substance and not other factors.
- Positive Controls: These contain a substance known to produce a specific effect. They confirm that the experimental setup can indeed detect the effect when it is present.
- Vehicle Controls: These are used when the test substance is dissolved in a solvent. The vehicle control contains only the solvent, ensuring that any effects observed are due to the test substance and not the solvent itself.
- Blank Controls: These are samples that contain no experimental reagents or substances. They are used to check for any contamination or background noise in the experimental setup.
