xenobiotic chemical

A xenobiotic is a chemical compound that is foreign to a living organism. This includes substances like drugs, pesticides, and carcinogens. The body has mechanisms to process these foreign chemicals, a process known as biotransformation or metabolism. This typically occurs in organs like the liver, kidneys, and lungs.12

Biotransformation generally involves two phases. Phase I modifies the chemical by adding a functional group, while Phase II joins it with a naturally occurring molecule. The goal is usually to make the xenobiotic more water-soluble, facilitating its excretion from the body. However, biotransformation can sometimes convert a chemical into a more toxic form. Environmental toxicology studies the effects of such toxic substances on ecosystems.23