As a measure of a person’s exposure to drugs, which statement about chemical testing is true?

In general, the smaller the LD50 value, the more toxic the chemical is. The opposite is also true: the larger the LD50 value, the lower the toxicity.

The LD50 gives a measure of the immediate or acute toxicity of a chemical in the strain, sex, and age group of a particular animal species being tested. Changing any of these variables (e.g., type animal or age) could result in finding a different LD50 value. The LD50 test was neither designed nor intended to give information on long-term exposure effects of a chemical.

Once you have an LD50 value, it can be compared to other values by using a toxicity scale. Confusion sometimes occurs because several different toxicity scales are in use. The two most common scales used are the "Hodge and Sterner Scale" and the "Gosselin, Smith and Hodge Scale". These tables differ in both the numerical rating given to each class and the terms used to describe each class. For example, a chemical with an oral LD50 value of 2 mg/kg, would be rated as "1" and "highly toxic" according to the Hodge and Sterner Scale (see Table 1) but rated as "6" and "super toxic" according to the Gosselin, Smith and Hodge Scale (see Table 2). It is important to reference the scale you used when classifying a compound.

It is also important to know that the actual LD50 value may be different for a given chemical depending on the route of exposure (e.g., oral, dermal, inhalation). For example, some LD50s for dichlorvos, an insecticide commonly used in household pesticide strips, are listed below:

  • Oral LD50 (rat): 56 mg/kg
  • Dermal LD50 (rat): 75 mg/kg
  • Intraperitoneal LD50: (rat) 15 mg/kg
  • Inhalation LC50 (rat): 1.7 ppm (15 mg/m3); 4-hour exposure
  • Oral LD50 (rabbit) 10 mg/kg
  • Oral LD50 (pigeon:): 23.7 mg/kg
  • Oral LD50 (rat): 56 mg/kg
  • Oral (mouse): 61 mg/kg
  • Oral (dog): 100 mg/kg
  • Oral (pig): 157 mg/kg

Differences in the LD50 toxicity ratings reflect the different routes of exposure. The toxicity rating can be different for different animals. The data above show that dichlorvos is much less toxic by ingestion in pigs or dogs than in rats. Using Table 1, dichlorvos is moderately toxic when swallowed (oral LD50) and extremely toxic when breathed (inhalation LC50) in the rat. Using Table 2, dichlorvos is considered very toxic when swallowed (oral LD50) by a rat.

Table 1: Toxicity Classes: Hodge and Sterner Scale
  Routes of Administration 
    Oral LD50 Inhalation LC50 Dermal LD50  
Toxicity Rating Commonly Used Term (single dose to rats) mg/kg (exposure of rats for 4 hours) ppm (single application to skin of rabbits) mg/kg Probable Lethal Dose for Man
1 Extremely Toxic 1 or less 10 or less 5 or less 1 grain (a taste, a drop)
2 Highly Toxic 1-50 10-100 5-43 4 ml (1 tsp)
3 Moderately Toxic 50-500 100-1000 44-340 30 ml (1 fl. oz.)
4 Slightly Toxic 500-5000 1000-10,000 350-2810 600 ml (1 pint)
5 Practically Non-toxic 5000-15,000 10,000-100,000 2820-22,590 1 litre (or 1 quart)
6 Relatively Harmless 15,000 or more 100,000 22,600 or more 1 litre (or 1 quart)
Table 2: Toxicity Classes: Gosselin, Smith and Hodge
Probable Oral Lethal Dose (Human)
Toxicity Rating or Class Dose For 70-kg Person (150 lbs)
6 Super Toxic Less than 5 mg/kg 1 grain (a taste – less than 7 drops)
5 Extremely Toxic 5-50 mg/kg 4 ml (between 7 drops and 1 tsp)
4 Very Toxic 50-500 mg/kg 30 ml (between 1 tsp and 1 fl ounce)
3 Moderately Toxic 0.5-5 g/kg 30-600 ml (between 1 fl oz and 1 pint)
2 Slightly Toxic 5-15 g/kg 600-1200 ml (between 1 pint to 1 quart)
1 Practically Non-Toxic Above 15 g/kg More than 1200 ml (more than 1 quart)

Which of the following statements is an argument against drug testing programs quizlet?

Which of the following statements is an argument against drug-testing programs? They are inappropriate in cases without a reasonable basis for suspected drug use.

Which of the following is true of using reliability as a measure of success of a selection method?

Which of the following is true of using reliability as a measure of success of a selection method? It indicates whether something is measured consistently.

Which statement about using application forms in a personnel selection process is true quizlet?

Which of the following is true of using application forms in a personnel selection process? They enable organizations to narrow the pool of candidates to a number they can afford to test and interview.

What is true of a generalizable method quizlet?

What is true of the generalizable method? It is valid in contexts other than the context in which it was originally developed. What is true of the Civil Rights Act of 1991? It places certain specific requirements on the choice of selection methods.