Pesticides can be absorbed into the body by swallowing.

• A. False
• B. Not sure
• C. True
• D. Depends

Answer: (C)

Swallowing pesticides is a real route for the body to take in chemicals. When a pesticide is ingested, it passes through the mouth into the stomach and then the small intestine, where many substances are absorbed into the bloodstream. The extent of absorption depends on the pesticide’s properties—for example, how soluble it is and whether it can cross gut membranes—but the possibility of entry through swallowing is established. This is why ingestion from contaminated food, water, or hands is considered a true exposure pathway, and why the statement is correct. Saying it’s false would ignore a common route of exposure, and saying it’s uncertain or depends would miss the practical fact that swallowing can lead to systemic absorption even though the amount absorbed varies.