What does toxicity refer to?

Toxicity specifically refers to the degree to which a substance can cause harm to living organisms. This concept is crucial in various fields, including environmental science, medicine, and safety regulations, as it helps determine how hazardous a substance may be to health and the environment. Understanding toxicity enables safety assessments, regulations on chemical usage, and informs necessary precautions when handling potentially harmful materials.

While the amount of a substance in a container, its physical state, or its color can provide important information, they do not directly correlate with the potential harm or risk posed by that substance to organisms. Toxicity focuses exclusively on the biological impact, making it a critical factor in evaluating substances for safety and environmental compliance.