ártalom

ártalom refers to the harmful effect that a substance, agent, or process can have on health, the environment, or materials. The term is used across toxicology, pharmacology, environmental science, and occupational safety to describe adverse outcomes resulting from exposure or interaction with potentially harmful factors. ártalom can be acute, arising from short-term exposure with rapid onset; chronic, arising from long-term exposure with accumulating effects; or sublethal, impairing function without causing immediate death. Common endpoints include organ damage, developmental or reproductive harm, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity.

Dose–response relationships are central to understanding ártalom: higher doses or more potent agents generally increase the likelihood and severity of harm. Some substances exhibit thresholds below which no adverse effect is observed, while others—such as many carcinogens—are considered non-threshold in risk assessments.

Exposure factors shaping ártalom include dose, duration, route (inhalation, ingestion, dermal), and individual susceptibility (age, genetics, health status). Effects may be organ-specific (for example, liver or nervous system) or systemic, affecting humans, animals, or ecosystems (ecotoxicology).

Risk assessment combines hazard identification, dose–response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization to estimate the probability and severity of ártalom under real-world conditions. Risk management seeks to minimize harm through safer substances, exposure controls, monitoring, labeling, and regulatory compliance. In medicine, ártalom also encompasses adverse drug effects or toxicities, while in the environment it includes pollution-related harm to wildlife and habitats.