What is chronic toxicity?

• A. Adverse effects that persist over time after exposure, often irreversible.
• B. Adverse effects occurring within hours after exposure, often reversible.
• C. No harm.
• D. Immediate vomiting.

Answer: (A)

Chronic toxicity means adverse health effects that persist or develop after long-term, repeated exposure to a pesticide. These effects may appear gradually over months or years and can continue after exposure ends, with damage that is often irreversible. This distinction sets chronic toxicity apart from acute toxicity, where harmful effects occur soon after a single exposure and are usually short-lived or reversible. The other options describe immediate, transient effects or no harm, which do not capture the long-lasting nature of chronic toxicity.