In uk.rec.gardening Oz wrote:
writes
In uk.rec.gardening Oz wrote:
A toxin is something toxic which poisons us. If it doesn't poison us
(i.e. is successfully managed by our digestion) then it's not a toxin.

That's something else. That is 'detoxifies'.

No, you're just avoiding the issue. If it doesn't poison us it
*isn't* a toxin.

Wrong.

Many, almost certainly all, toxins have a no effect level despite being
toxins. If they have no effect, they aren't poisoning us.

So things that don't poison us at some dose can still be toxins, and
often are.

But you've already said that *everything* will kill us at some level
so on that basis *everything* is a toxin so it's not a terribly useful
word is it!

Mind you - don't forget the dose.
Very few things are completely non-toxic - not even water.

Quite, but that's not a very helpful way to go is it,

That may be, but that's how it's defined.
Doubtless confuses lots more people than just you.

if your argument
is that *everything* is a toxin then trying to produce weedkillers (or
whatever) that aren't toxic is going to be a bit difficult.

Precisely. That's why you find more useful definitions like approved
dose, effective dose, noel, adi and LD50, which include an effect (or
lack of it) and a dose, used by people who know enough and want to
discuss it sensibly.

Yes, I quite agree, my original complaint was about the use of the word
'toxic' and its imprecision, it's meaningless (as you say) without any
indication of *how* toxic.

--
Chris Green )