Absorption

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absorption, uptake of digested nutrients or any chemical from the site of the first entry to the organism proper. The most common site of absorption is the gastrointestinal tract: stomach and the gut. Any unabsorbed material in the contents of the gastrointestinal tract is in principle outside the body. Therefore absorption is the first critical step towards toxicity of any chemical. The absorption of fat-soluble and poorly water-soluble dioxins and PCBs depends on the presence of fats: they are absorbed easily if they are dissolved in fats, but often poorly, if they are e.g. adsorbed onto soil material.