Contents Search publications                                         Previous  Next

If chemicals are not stored, the body deals with them by metabolising (changing their structure) and excreting them. This occurs mainly in the liver, but also the skin, lungs, gut and kidneys, by similar processes used by our bodies to metabolise the chemicals which make up our food. The products of metabolism are known as metabolites, and these can be more or less toxic than the original chemical. In fact, many of the adverse effects of chemical exposure are due to the effects of metabolites.

The pathways involved in metabolising chemicals vary greatly between species, and also between individuals, which explains why some people are harmed by very low levels of chemicals that others seem able to tolerate.

Contents Search publications                                         Previous  Next