Skip to Content

acute toxicity

Acute toxicity is the ability of a substance to cause poisonous effects resulting in severe biological harm or death soon after either a single exposure or dose or multiple exposures over a short duration.

On This Page

Additional Information


It is also any severe poisonous effect resulting from a single, short-term exposure to a toxic substance.

Related Terms


Chronic toxicity is the capacity of a substance to cause long-term poisonous human health effects.