Dangerous Substances

Substances which are present in, or are introduced into the environment with harmful effects on humans, animals, plants and/or material goods. Dangerous Substances have various origins: natural sources such as vulcanos, Emissions (e.g. Waste Gases from Power Stations) or applications (e.g. the use of Pesticides) caused by humans (anthropogenes), biological processes (e.g. Aflatoxins produced by fungi), etc. Dangerous Substances can be absorbed by humans by inhalation, through the skin or ingested with the food. Dangerous substances can cause damage either alone or or in conjunction with other substances. Under certain circumstances harmless substances can combine with or be transformed into dangerous substances. The essential assesment criteria for establishing nocuousness are the ease of absorption (resorbability), the ease of Decomposition (Half-life), the fat solubility and the stability (Persistence).