Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals and other toxic agents on living organisms and how these effects can be avoided or minimised. It combines a wide variety of scientific disciplines, which include general subjects as biology and chemistry, and more specific areas such as molecular biology, pharmacology, immunology, pathology, epidemiology and statistics.

There are many distinct branches of toxicology each offering their own unique and diverse career opportunities.

The industrial toxicologist plays a vital role in developing effective, safe products such as pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, pesticides, cosmetics, medical device etc. With the current emphasis by manufacturers and government alike on protecting workers, consumers and the environment, all new products and their constituents must be carefully assessed for any toxic potential. How extensively any product will be tested depends on factors such as its intended use, how much is used and for how long. Often, an industrial toxicologists work closely with regulatory authorities to ensure that a company’s products and production processes conform to local, national and international regulations.

It is not uncommon for an industrial toxicologist to specialize in specific topics such as genetic and reproductive toxicology, toxicological pathology, and clinical biochemistry.

The academic toxicologist’s work is characterised not only by its variety but also by the stimulation that it can provide. Much of his or her time is spent in lecturing and practical instruction, where there is a lively and satisfying working environment. As well as teaching, the academic toxicologist spends a lot of time in the laboratory and increasingly this research is conducted in collaboration with Industry.

The clinical toxicologist is typically a medically qualified graduate, who has specialist knowledge of the adverse effects of drugs and other chemicals in humans and especially how to treat poisoning by such materials. Most clinical toxicologists work in hospitals and have close links with university clinical pharmacology departments.

The forensic toxicologist deals mainly with medico-legal aspects of drugs and poisons, his or her main responsibilities being to establish and explain the circumstances of legal cases where drugs or other chemicals are implicated. These can range from simple ‘drink driving’ case to fatal accident, suicide and murder investigations where deliberate or accidental poisoning is suspected. With so many types of legal case, forensic toxicology can provide an ideal scientific challenge, with career opportunities in the Home Office Forensic Science Service, private forensic laboratories and in hospital departments of forensic medicine.

Ecotoxicology studies the effect of chemicals on the environment and is a science that has emerged only recently. Although the ecotoxicologist studies the immediate effect on individual organisms, his or her ultimate interest is the effect on populations and on ecosystems. Typically the ecotoxicologist will be concerned with aspects such as: tracing the movement of pollutants through terrestrial and aquatic food chains, following the metabolism and bioaccumulation of these pollutants in food chains, identifying population changes after exposure to pollutants, monitoring the physiological and biochemical response of organisms to exposure and undertaking detailed ecological and toxicological studies of invertebrates and fish in polluted rivers and estuaries.

Toxicology is a dynamic subject that is expanding and adapting as society changes and new demands have to be met. It offers tremendous mental stimulation and is becoming increasingly important in determining our quality of life and that of future generations.

For further information visit The British Toxicology Society