What term is used to describe the capacity of a pesticide to cause injury?

The term that describes the capacity of a pesticide to cause injury is toxicity. Toxicity refers to the degree to which a substance can harm living organisms. In the context of pesticides, it quantifies the potential danger to humans, animals, and non-target organisms when exposed to the chemical. It encompasses not only the severity of the effects but also the exposure levels needed to produce those effects.

Potency, while related, specifically refers to the strength of a pesticide in terms of the amount required to produce a certain effect. Effectiveness relates to how well a pesticide performs its intended function, such as controlling a pest, rather than its capacity to cause harm. Concentration pertains to the amount of pesticide present in a given volume of medium, but it does not inherently indicate the potential for injury. Therefore, the term that most accurately captures the capacity to cause injury is toxicity.