Which statement about how hot, sweaty skin affects pesticide absorption is true?

Which statement about how hot, sweaty skin affects pesticide absorption is true?

• A. It decreases absorption
• B. It increases absorption
• C. It has no effect
• D. It only affects dermal exposure

Answer: (B)

Hot, sweaty skin increases pesticide absorption because heat raises skin temperature and blood flow, which makes the outer skin layer more permeable. When the skin is moist from sweating, the stratum corneum becomes hydrated, helping pesticides diffuse through it more readily. Sweat can also act as a solvent for some pesticides, keeping the chemical in contact with the skin longer and aiding its penetration. As a result, the amount absorbed through the skin is greater, elevating potential dermal exposure. The other statements don’t fit because heating and sweating do have an effect (not no effect), they don’t decrease absorption, and the primary issue is the increased dermal absorption, not a distinction that sweating only affects exposure in a different way.