virtually non-toxic

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "virtually non-toxic" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a substance that is mostly safe or has minimal toxicity, but may have some negligible harmful effects. Example: "The new cleaning product is virtually non-toxic, making it safe for use around children and pets."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The present study also showed that stem bark and leaf extracts exhibited some toxicity against brine shrimps while roots were virtually non-toxic (Table 3).

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The nanosponges are between 80 nm and several micrometers in diameters and virtually non-toxic to monocyte/macrophage-like cells.

Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine

2) THC -- regardless of potency -- is virtually non-toxic to healthy cells or organs, and is incapable of causing a fatal overdose.

Huffington Post

Bacteriophages are also host specific, self-replicating, self limiting and virtually non-toxic.

Plosone

Administration of echinocandins may be particularly useful during immune reconstitution syndrome as a replacement for corticosteroids, which are recommended within 72 hours of diagnosis in cases of moderately or severe PCP [30], since the echinocandins do not have the pan-immunosuppressive effects of corticosteroids and are virtually non-toxic to mammals.

Plosone

Brine shrimp results presented (Table 4) show that the root extracts were virtually non-toxic on the shrimps.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Glyphosate is classified under the FIFRA Toxicity Category IV (virtually the least non-toxic category) and on the MSDS label (or Safety Data Sheet) for Roundup is classified as "practically non-toxic".

Huffington Post

Many cool products have been sold in stores like Good Vibrations for years, but he's the first to bring a safe, non-toxic, sexy, virtually stigma free brand to the mainstream market.

TechCrunch

It is also not unusual for virtually identical strains of the same organism to be toxic or non-toxic or weakly toxic.

The New York Times - Science

First, we used two live staining protocols (Chromeo Live Cell Mitochondrial Staining Kit and Lysotracker Green DND-26) that appear to be efficient (staining virtually all cells in the culture), stable (remaining for days), and non-toxic (with the cells exhibiting normal morphological shape and behavior) in C. owczarzaki.

eLife

Resazurin, the active ingredient of alamarBlue® reagent, is a non-toxic, cell permeable compound that is blue in color and virtually non-fluorescent.

BMC Veterinary Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a substance as "virtually non-toxic", ensure that any minor toxicity is negligible and well-documented. Provide context about the specific conditions under which it is considered non-toxic.

Common error

Avoid using "virtually non-toxic" if there's significant evidence of harmful effects. Instead, accurately quantify any known toxicity levels to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "virtually non-toxic" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase used to qualify a noun. It indicates that the noun it modifies possesses a quality of being almost entirely free from toxic effects. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's a description of something being close to completely safe.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

41%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "virtually non-toxic" is used to describe substances that are mostly safe but may possess a negligible amount of toxicity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s suitable for describing items that present minimal health or environmental risks. It appears most frequently in science and news contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the context accurately reflects the level of safety and that any minor toxicity is well-documented to avoid overstating the non-toxic nature of the substance. Alternatives include "almost non-toxic" and "practically non-toxic".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost non-toxic

Indicates a substance that is very close to being completely non-toxic, with a slight chance of minimal toxicity.

essentially non-toxic

Highlights that the substance is fundamentally non-toxic, with any minor toxic effects being negligible.

practically non-toxic

Emphasizes the practical implications of the substance being non-toxic in most real-world scenarios.

largely non-toxic

Suggests that the majority of the substance's components or effects are non-toxic, though some minor toxicity might exist.

nearly non-toxic

Similar to 'almost non-toxic', indicating a close approximation to complete non-toxicity.

generally non-toxic

Indicates that under normal conditions or in most cases, the substance is non-toxic.

mostly harmless

Shifts the focus from toxicity to the potential for harm, suggesting a low risk of adverse effects.

minimally toxic

Directly addresses the low level of toxicity, rather than emphasizing the lack thereof.

slightly toxic

Acknowledges the presence of toxicity, but qualifies it as being only to a slight degree.

relatively safe

Focuses on the safety aspect, implying a lower level of risk compared to other substances.

FAQs

What does "virtually non-toxic" mean?

It means something is almost completely non-toxic but may have a very slight, often negligible, level of toxicity. It suggests a high degree of safety under normal conditions.

When is it appropriate to use the term "virtually non-toxic"?

Use it when a substance has been tested and shown to have minimal toxic effects, making it safe for most practical applications. Ensure the context clarifies what 'virtually' implies in terms of potential harm.

What are some alternatives to saying "virtually non-toxic"?

You can use alternatives like "almost non-toxic", "essentially non-toxic", or "practically non-toxic" depending on the context and the degree of certainty about the substance's safety.

How does "virtually non-toxic" differ from "non-toxic"?

"Non-toxic" implies a complete absence of toxic effects. "Virtually non-toxic" acknowledges that there might be a trace amount of toxicity, but it's so minimal that it's generally not a concern. The distinction is important for accuracy and transparency.