Which irritants do not have a toxic effect on the entire body and include substances like ozone and ammonia?

Which irritants do not have a toxic effect on the entire body and include substances like ozone and ammonia?

• A. Primary irritants
• B. Secondary irritants
• C. Systemic irritants
• D. Local irritants

Answer: (A)

Local irritants are substances that cause irritation at the site of contact rather than producing toxicity that spreads through the whole body. Ozone and ammonia fit this description because they irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and airways where they are inhaled or contacted, but they do not typically cause systemic toxic effects at standard occupational exposure levels. If a chemical were a systemic irritant, its effects would be distributed throughout the body after absorption. While primary irritants also cause local irritation, the emphasis here on localized effects with examples like ozone and ammonia points to local irritants as the best fit.

Local irritants are substances that cause irritation at the site of contact rather than producing toxicity that spreads through the whole body. Ozone and ammonia fit this description because they irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and airways where they are inhaled or contacted, but they do not typically cause systemic toxic effects at standard occupational exposure levels. If a chemical were a systemic irritant, its effects would be distributed throughout the body after absorption. While primary irritants also cause local irritation, the emphasis here on localized effects with examples like ozone and ammonia points to local irritants as the best fit.