However, it can also be used in environmental risk assessments in order to determine the potential effects of releasing chemicals into the environment.
Four potential processes exist for a chemical interacting with an animal: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME).
A well designed toxicokinetic study may involve several different strategies and depends on the scientific question to be answered.
Controlled acute and repeated toxicokinetic animal studies are useful to identify a chemical's biological persistence, tissue and whole body half-life, and its potential to bioaccumulate.
Real world environmental exposures generally occur as low level mixtures, such as from air, water, food, or tobacco products.