Which of the following are recognized routes of human exposure to pollutants?…
2024
Which of the following are recognized routes of human exposure to pollutants?
(A) Inhalation
(B) Consumption
(C) Ingestion
(D) Dermal contact
(E) Digestion
Choose the correct answer from the combinations given below.
Answer: B. Only (A), (C), and (D) — ConceptAn exposure route is the pathway by which a contaminant reaches or enters the human body. The standard major routes are inhalation, ingestion, and…
- A.
Only (A), (B), and (C)
- B.
Only (A), (C), and (D)
- C.
Only (B), (D), and (E)
- D.
Only (A), (C), and (E)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
An exposure route is the pathway by which a contaminant reaches or enters the human body. The standard major routes are inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact or absorption.
Terms such as consumption and digestion describe a behaviour or an internal physiological process; they are not separate named exposure-route categories.
Application
Inhalation carries airborne pollutants into the respiratory tract.
Ingestion brings pollutants in contaminated food, water, soil, or dust into the gastrointestinal tract.
Dermal contact exposes the skin, through which some pollutants may be absorbed.
Consumption may lead to ingestion, while digestion occurs after ingestion; neither is treated as an additional exposure route in this classification.
Cross-check
The set inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact covers the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin pathways respectively.
Therefore, the correct combination is (A), (C), and (D) only.