{{Short description|Toxic substance}} {{about|artificial and natural toxic substances|naturally occurring organic poisons|Toxin}}
A '''toxicant''' is any [[toxicity|toxic]] substance, whether artificial or naturally occurring.<ref name=Mann2011>{{cite book|author=Francisco Sánchez-Bayo, Paul J. van den Brink, Reinier M. Mann|title=Ecological Impacts of Toxic Chemicals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5oYEMyCTEcwC&pg=PA6|date=9 September 2011|publisher=Francisco Sanchez-Bayo|isbn=978-1-60805-121-2|pages=6–}}</ref> By contrast, a [[toxin]] is a poison produced naturally by an organism (e.g. plant, animal, insect, bacterium).<ref name=NCI/> The different types of toxicants<ref name=Manahan2009>{{cite book|author1=Stanley Manahan|author2=Stanley E. Manahan|title=Environmental Chemistry, Ninth Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OrPMBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA629|date=17 December 2009|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4398-8247-4|pages=629–}}</ref> can be found in the air, soil, water, or food.<ref name=Hodgson2011/>
== Occurrence ==
Toxicants can be found in the air, soil, water, or food.<ref name=Hodgson2011>{{cite book|author=Ernest Hodgson|title=A Textbook of Modern Toxicology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6wp20BrihwIC&pg=PT88|date=20 September 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-21129-8|pages=88–}}</ref> Humans can be exposed to environmental toxicants.<ref name=PrestonReynolds2018>{{cite journal|last1=Preston|first1=Joshua D.|last2=Reynolds|first2=Leryn J.|last3=Pearson|first3=Kevin J.|title=Developmental Origins of Health Span and Life Span: A Mini-Review|journal=Gerontology|volume=64|issue=3|year=2018|pages=237–245|issn=0304-324X|doi=10.1159/000485506|pmc=5876086|pmid=29324453}}</ref> [[Fish]] can contain environmental toxicants.<ref name=GaskinsChavarro2018>{{cite journal|last1=Gaskins|first1=Audrey J.|last2=Chavarro|first2=Jorge E.|title=Diet and fertility: a review|journal=American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology|volume=218|issue=4|year=2018|pages=379–389|issn=0002-9378|doi=10.1016/j.ajog.2017.08.010|pmc=5826784|pmid=28844822}}</ref> [[Tobacco smoke]] contains toxicants.<ref name=BrelandSoule2017>{{cite journal|last1=Breland|first1=Alison|last2=Soule|first2=Eric|last3=Lopez|first3=Alexa|last4=Ramôa|first4=Carolina|last5=El-Hellani|first5=Ahmad|last6=Eissenberg|first6=Thomas|title=Electronic cigarettes: what are they and what do they do?|journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences|volume=1394|issue=1|year=2017|pages=5–30|issn=0077-8923|doi=10.1111/nyas.12977|pmc=4947026|pmid=26774031|bibcode=2017NYASA1394....5B}}</ref> [[Composition of electronic cigarette aerosol|E-cigarette aerosol]] also contains toxicants.<ref name=PerikleousSteiropoulos2018>{{cite journal|last1=Perikleous|first1=Evanthia P.|last2=Steiropoulos|first2=Paschalis|last3=Paraskakis|first3=Emmanouil|last4=Constantinidis|first4=Theodoros C.|last5=Nena|first5=Evangelia|title=E-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents: An Overview of the Literature and Future Perspectives|journal=Frontiers in Public Health|volume=6|year=2018|page=86|issn=2296-2565|doi=10.3389/fpubh.2018.00086|pmc=5879739|pmid=29632856|doi-access=free}}</ref> The emissions of a [[heat-not-burn product|heat-not-burn tobacco product]] contains toxicants.<ref name=LiSaad2018>{{cite journal|last1=Li|first1=Gerard|last2=Saad|first2=Sonia|last3=Oliver|first3=Brian|last4=Chen|first4=Hui|title=Heat or Burn? Impacts of Intrauterine Tobacco Smoke and E-Cigarette Vapor Exposure on the Offspring's Health Outcome|journal=Toxics|volume=6|issue=3|year=2018|page=43|issn=2305-6304|doi=10.3390/toxics6030043|pmc=6160993|pmid=30071638|doi-access=free|bibcode=2018Toxic...6...43L }}</ref> Most [[heavy metals]] are toxicants.<ref name=KimKim2015>{{cite journal|last1=Kim|first1=Hyun Soo|last2=Kim|first2=Yeo Jin|last3=Seo|first3=Young Rok|title=An Overview of Carcinogenic Heavy Metal: Molecular Toxicity Mechanism and Prevention|journal=Journal of Cancer Prevention|volume=20|issue=4|year=2015|pages=232–240|issn=2288-3649|doi=10.15430/JCP.2015.20.4.232|pmc=4699750|pmid=26734585}}</ref> [[Diesel exhaust]] contains toxicants.<ref name=LeemJang2014>{{cite journal|last1=Leem|first1=Jong Han|last2=Jang|first2=Young-Kee|title=Increase of diesel car raises health risk in spite of recent development in engine technology|journal=Environmental Health and Toxicology|volume=29|year=2014|article-number=e2014009|issn=2233-6567|doi=10.5620/eht.e2014009|pmc=4207092|pmid=25318659}}</ref> [[Pesticide]]s, [[benzene]], and asbestos-like fibers such as [[carbon nanotube]]s are toxicants.<ref name=CostaMiozzi2017>{{cite journal|last1=Costa|first1=Chiara|last2=Miozzi|first2=Edoardo|last3=Teodoro|first3=Michele|last4=Briguglio|first4=Giusi|last5=Rapisarda|first5=Venerando|last6=Fenga|first6=Concettina|title=New insights on 'old' toxicants in occupational toxicology|journal=Molecular Medicine Reports|volume=15|issue=5|year=2017|pages=3317–3322|issn=1791-2997|doi=10.3892/mmr.2017.6374|pmid=28339055|doi-access=free}}</ref> Possible [[developmental toxicity|developmental toxicants]] include phthalates, phenols, sunscreens, pesticides, halogenated flame retardants, perfluoroalkyl coatings, nanoparticles, e-cigarettes, and dietary polyphenols.<ref name=WolffBuckley2017>{{cite journal|last1=Wolff|first1=Mary S.|last2=Buckley|first2=Jessie P.|last3=Engel|first3=Stephanie M.|last4=McConnell|first4=Rob S.|last5=Barr|first5=Dana B.|title=Emerging exposures of developmental toxicants|journal=Current Opinion in Pediatrics|volume=29|issue=2|year=2017|pages=218–224|issn=1040-8703|doi=10.1097/MOP.0000000000000455|pmc=5473289|pmid=28059904}}</ref>
== Related terms == By contrast, a [[toxin]] is a poison produced naturally by an organism (e.g. plant, animal, insect).<ref name=NCI>{{cite web|url=http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary?CdrID=46622|title=NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms - toxin|publisher=National Cancer Institute}}</ref> The 2011 book ''A Textbook of Modern Toxicology'' states, "A toxin is a toxicant that is produced by a living organism and is not used as a synonym for toxicant—all toxins are toxicants, but not all toxicants are toxins. Toxins, whether produced by animals, plants, insects, or microbes are generally metabolic products that have evolved as defense mechanisms for the purpose of repelling or killing predators or pathogens."<ref name=Hodgson-2011>{{cite book|author=Ernest Hodgson|title=A Textbook of Modern Toxicology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6wp20BrihwIC&pg=PT77|date=20 September 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-21129-8|pages=77–}}</ref>
[[Biocide]]s are classified as oxidizing or non-oxidizing toxicants.<ref name=Garverick1994/> [[Chlorine]] is the most commonly manufactured oxidizing toxicant.<ref name=Garverick1994>{{cite book|author=Linda Garverick|title=Corrosion in the Petrochemical Industry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qTfNZZRO758C&pg=PA103|date=1 January 1994|publisher=ASM International|isbn=978-0-87170-505-1|pages=103–}}</ref> Chlorine is ubiquitously added to drinking water to disinfect it.<ref name=Pilotto1995>{{cite journal|last1=Pilotto|first1=Louis S.|title=Disinfection of drinking water, disinfection by-products and cancer: what about Australia?|journal=Australian Journal of Public Health|volume=19|issue=1|year=1995|pages=89–93|issn=1035-7319|doi=10.1111/j.1753-6405.1995.tb00304.x|pmid=7734603|doi-access=free}}</ref> Non-oxidizing toxicants include [[isothiazolinone]]s and [[quaternary ammonium cation|quaternary ammonium compounds]].<ref name=Vazquez-DuhaltQuintero-Ramirez2004>{{cite book|author1=Rafael Vazquez-Duhalt|author2=Rodolfo Quintero-Ramirez|title=Petroleum Biotechnology: Developments and Perspectives|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hxcgxf_FMKoC&pg=PA210|date=18 September 2004|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=978-0-08-047371-0|pages=210–}}</ref>
An [[psychoactive drug|intoxicant]] is a substance that intoxicates such as an [[alcoholic drink]].<ref name=SalmSklansky2001>{{cite book|author1=Don Salm|author2=Ron Sklansky|title=Legislation on Recodification of Operating While Intoxicated and Safety Laws Pertaining to Motor Vehicle, All-terrain Vehicle, Boat Or Snowmobile Operation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y3NiAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA12|year=2001|publisher=Wisconsin Legislative Council|pages=12–}}</ref> An intoxicant is a substance that impairs the [[mind]] and causes a person to be in a [[mental state|state]] varying from exhilaration to lethargy.<ref name=Bahammam2013>{{cite book|author=Fahd Salem Bahammam|title=Food and Dress in Islam: An explanation of matters relating to food and drink and dress in Islam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CRojJ7lnb18C&pg=PP1|publisher=Modern Guide|isbn=978-1-909322-99-8|year=2013|pages=1–}}</ref>
==Health impacts== {{See also|Brain health and pollution}} {{Empty section|small=no|date=April 2024}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commonscatinline|Toxicants}}
{{Toxicology}} {{Poisoning and toxicity}}
[[Category:Toxicants| ]] [[Category:Toxicology|*]]