Have you ever wondered why prescription drugs have "side effects" along with the effect the drug is supposed to produce? Or why some plants and animals are poisonous? Or how exposure to air pollutants like sulfur and nitrogen oxides might affect people's health?

The answers to these and many other questions are found in an area of science called toxicology.?Toxicology is the science that studies the effects of toxicants (in other words, poisons) on living organisms.

Toxicologists conduct basic research on the effects of toxicants on human health and the environment, develop and perform tests to assess the safety of drugs and other chemical products and assist government agencies in developing regulations and standards in areas ranging from food safety to pollution control.

Toxicologists also work in applied areas such as clinical medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and forensic science.