Glossary

Glossary

Acute exposure

Acute exposure

A one-time exposure of relatively short duration.

A one-time exposure of relatively short duration.

Biomarker

Biomarker

An identifiable change at the chemical, biochemical, or cellular level due to an exposure to an environmental toxicant.

An identifiable change at the chemical, biochemical, or cellular level due to an exposure to an environmental toxicant.

Chronic exposure

Chronic exposure

An exposure to a chemical or hazardous substance that occurs over a period of time.

An exposure to a chemical or hazardous substance that occurs over a period of time.

Developmental stages

Developmental stages

Temporal intervals in distinct anatomical, physiological, behavioral, or functional characteristics that can contribute to potential differences in vulnerability to environmental exposures.

Temporal intervals in distinct anatomical, physiological, behavioral, or functional characteristics that can contribute to potential differences in vulnerability to environmental exposures.

Dose

Dose

The amount of a contaminant that is absorbed or deposited in the body of an exposed person for an increment of time. Total dose is the sum of doses received by a person from a contaminant in a given interval and resulting from interaction with all environmental media that contain the contaminant.

The amount of a contaminant that is absorbed or deposited in the body of an exposed person for an increment of time. Total dose is the sum of doses received by a person from a contaminant in a given interval and resulting from interaction with all environmental media that contain the contaminant.

Macroactivity

Macroactivity

Highly general description of what a child does during a specific period of time or developmental stages – i.e., playing, school attendance, crawling, toddling, etc.

Highly general description of what a child does during a specific period of time or developmental stages – i.e., playing, school attendance, crawling, toddling, etc.

Microactivity

Microactivity

A very detailed description of an activity that could lead to an exposure. Some examples of microactivities leading to childhood exposures are mouthing of objects and crawling on the floor with subsequent hand contact with dirt.

A very detailed description of an activity that could lead to an exposure. Some examples of microactivities leading to childhood exposures are mouthing of objects and crawling on the floor with subsequent hand contact with dirt.

Microenvironment

Microenvironment

Location a child occupies for a specified period of time – e.g., outdoors on a lawn versus outdoors on a school playground.

Location a child occupies for a specified period of time – e.g., outdoors on a lawn versus outdoors on a school playground.

Paraoccupational exposure

Paraoccupational exposure

The transmission of potentially toxic quantities of industrial agents from occupational settings to homes and residences is referred to as take-home contamination. Take-home contamination has been more vividly called “fouling one’s own nest.”

The transmission of potentially toxic quantities of industrial agents from occupational settings to homes and residences is referred to as take-home contamination. Take-home contamination has been more vividly called “fouling one’s own nest.”

Pica

Pica

The intentional ingestion of soil and other non-nutritive substances.

The intentional ingestion of soil and other non-nutritive substances.

Poisoning

Poisoning

A patient has a defined pattern of symptoms corresponding to toxic effects from a poisonous substance at a mid- to high level of exposure.

A patient has a defined pattern of symptoms corresponding to toxic effects from a poisonous substance at a mid- to high level of exposure.

Toxicant

Toxicant

A poisonous substance not derived from the metabolism of a living organism.

A poisonous substance not derived from the metabolism of a living organism.

Toxicodynamics

Toxicodynamics

The study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the action of a poison.

The study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the action of a poison.

Toxin

Toxin

A poisonous substance produced by the metabolism of an organism, such as a spider, a snake, a scorpion, a plant, a fungus, or bacteria.

A poisonous substance produced by the metabolism of an organism, such as a spider, a snake, a scorpion, a plant, a fungus, or bacteria.

Toxicity

Toxicity

Any adverse effect from a poisonous substance, whether the effect is subclinical or it takes the form of frank clinical symptoms of a poisoning.

Any adverse effect from a poisonous substance, whether the effect is subclinical or it takes the form of frank clinical symptoms of a poisoning.

Toxidrome

Toxidrome

A defined constellation of symptoms characteristic of a certain class of toxic exposure.

A defined constellation of symptoms characteristic of a certain class of toxic exposure.