Ethanol is primarily removed from the body through which process?

Ethanol is primarily removed from the body through metabolism, which is the biochemical process that occurs primarily in the liver. During metabolism, ethanol is converted into acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase and then further metabolized into acetic acid before being converted to carbon dioxide and water. This metabolic pathway is the body's primary means of processing and eliminating alcohol, making it the most significant factor in how ethanol is removed from the system.

Other processes like excretion, absorption, and filtration play roles in the body's handling of substances, but they are not the main mechanisms through which ethanol is cleared from the body. For example, absorption refers to how substances enter the bloodstream, while excretion typically relates to how waste products are removed from the body through urine or other means. Filtration is often associated with the kidneys; however, the liver's role in metabolizing ethanol is the key process involved in its elimination.