Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

What part of the body is most vulnerable to damage from carbon tetrachloride?

1. Kidneys

2. Heart

3. Liver

4. Brain

The correct answer is: Liver

The liver is the organ most vulnerable to damage from carbon tetrachloride exposure. This vulnerability is due to the liver's role in metabolizing various substances, including toxic chemicals. When carbon tetrachloride enters the body, it is primarily processed by the liver, where it is converted into reactive metabolites. These metabolites can cause lipid peroxidation, damage cellular membranes, and lead to hepatocellular injury or even necrosis, which can exacerbate liver disease and impair its function. The liver's detoxification pathway makes it a central site for the harmful effects of carbon tetrachloride, as the metabolism of this chemical generates by-products that can significantly impact liver cells. This risk of toxicity also ties in with conditions that can affect liver function, like cirrhosis or fatty liver disease, enhancing the susceptibility to damage from such exposures. Other organs, though important in their physiological functions, do not have the same level of direct risk from carbon tetrachloride as the liver does.