Samantha Benovitz

ISM
Walters
10/25/2018

Research Assessment 6

MLA Citation:
"Toxicology." World of Forensic Science, edited by Sara Constantakis, 2nd ed., vol. 2, Gale,
2016, pp.666-668. Science In Context,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3630600514/SCIC?u=j043905002&sid=SCIC&xid=7a76
edd5. Accessed 26 Oct. 2018

Toxicology is something I have been interested in since starting my research of forensic

science because it has so much to do with chemistry. Forensic toxicology is also concerned with
drug identification, something I have been looking into ever since I realized that the DEA might
be a career path I want to take. “Toxicology”, from World of Forensic Science provides a very
informative introduction to forensic toxicology from which I was able to gain a basic
understanding.
A basic description of the purpose of toxicology is the study of “adverse effects of chemicals
on biological systems”. This can includes studying “poisons, their detection, action, and
counteractions”. The text stated that toxicology requires the use of “analytical chemistry”. This
statement helped me make a mental note that I may want to pursue my masters in forensic
toxicology. As the introduction of toxicology continues, a couple historical figures known for the
development of toxicology were mentioned. One, by the name of Paracelsus (1493-1541),
recognized that it is impossible to label chemicals as “safe or toxic” because of “dose response”
relationships. This means that no chemical is ever truly safe because the safety of a chemical
depends on how much exposure a person has. This was very interesting because I never thought
about chemicals this way.
After giving a brief introduction to toxicology, the book went into what I really wanted to
learn about: forensic toxicology. Forensic toxicology is defined quite simply. It is the “use of
toxicology for legal purposes”. Next, it is explained that forensic toxicology is broken up into
three main categories. The first is “identification of drugs”. This includes, but is not limited to,
cocaine, cannabis, and heroin. The next category is “detection of drugs and poisons” in the body.
Lastly, forensic toxicology is used to measure “alcohol in blood or urine”. Depending on what is
needed from the forensic toxicologist, one of these categories will be tested using preserved
samples of “body fluids, stomach contents, and organ parts”. The tests used to analyze these
samples are all chemistry based. They are mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, and liquid
chromatography. This was interesting to read because I have actually had experience with mass
spectrometry in AP Chemistry. It is also very exciting to me to read all that forensic toxicologists
can determine through the labs they perform because so much can be taken from small samples.
Because of this text, I am now very interested in forensic toxicology. It would be a dream of
mine to be able to work alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration and forensic toxicology
would be a path that could take me there.