What is toxicology?

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Toxicology is the study of harmful effects of substances on living organisms. It examines how chemicals interact with biology, how the amount and duration of exposure influence risk, and the mechanisms by which toxicity occurs. Key concepts include dose–response relationships, toxicokinetics (how a substance is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted) and toxicodynamics (how it causes harm), and hazard and risk assessment to protect health. In drug development, toxicology guides safety testing to identify potential adverse effects early, informing whether a compound can be safely advanced or needs design changes. The other options describe nutrition, manufacturing, or marketing, which are not about toxic effects.