Which statement about pesticide toxicity is true?

The statement that a pesticide with an oral LD50 of 5 mg/kg is more toxic than one with 250 mg/kg is accurate because LD50, or "lethal dose for 50% of the test population," is a standard measure used to determine the toxicity of a substance. The lower the LD50 value, the more toxic the pesticide is because it indicates that a smaller dose is required to be lethal to half of the test subjects. Therefore, a pesticide with an oral LD50 of 5 mg/kg means that exposure to just 5 mg/kg can be lethal, making it significantly more toxic than a pesticide requiring 250 mg/kg for the same effect. This concept is fundamental for understanding the relative dangers of different pesticides and highlights the importance of handling those with lower LD50 values with increased caution.

Recognizing how toxicity is quantified helps pesticide applicators assess risk and implement appropriate safety measures when using different chemical products.