Body burden
Body Burden
Body burden (pronunciation: /ˈbɒdi ˈbɜːrdn/) is a term used in toxicology to describe the total amount of a particular toxin or chemical present in a human body at a given point in time.
Etymology
The term "body burden" is derived from the English words "body" and "burden". The word "body" comes from the Old English bodig, meaning the physical structure of a human or animal. The word "burden" comes from the Old English byrthen, meaning load, weight, charge, or duty. In this context, "body burden" refers to the 'load' or 'charge' of toxins or chemicals that the body carries.
Definition
Body burden is often used in the context of biomonitoring, where it is used to measure the levels of chemicals in a person's body, usually by analyzing samples of blood, urine, or tissue. The body burden of a chemical can be influenced by a number of factors, including the rate of exposure, the duration of exposure, the route of exposure (e.g., inhalation, ingestion, skin contact), and the body's ability to metabolize and excrete the chemical.
Related Terms
- Bioaccumulation: The accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, or other chemicals in an organism.
- Biomagnification: The process by which the concentration of a substance increases in an organism's body over time.
- Toxicant: Any toxic substance or poison.
- Toxicology: The study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Body burden
- Wikipedia's article - Body burden
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