The major subspecialties of toxicology.

clinical toxicology

Clinical toxicology is a subspeciality of toxicology that deals with the treatment of patients that have been exposed to toxic substances that have poisonous effects on the human organism. It is a discipline that is concerned with diseases and illnesses associated with short-term or long-term exposure to toxic chemicals. Clinical toxicologists include doctors, emergency room physicians, nurses, and first responders, who are familiar with the symptoms associated with exposure to a wide variety of toxic substances. 

Forensic toxicology

Forensic toxicology is the application of toxicology and disciplines such as analytical chemistry, clinical chemistry, and pharmacology to the field of law and criminalistics. The primary concern of forensic toxicology is to determine the presence of substances such as drugs, alcohol, or poison to establish whether they contributed to the person’s death. Toxicological analysis can be done by using many various kinds of samples. The most common sample types used by forensic toxicologists are blood, urine, and hair, as these can be easily collected in a non-invasive manner and provide a good amount of information.

Forensic toxicologists must be familiar with a wide range of different chemical substances and know other basic science disciplines to answer questions related to deaths, sicknesses, or any other areas where poison or drug is suspected.

Regulatory toxicology

Regulatory toxicology is a field that helps to formulate the regulations and put them into practice. The regulations can be used for health protection against the harmful effects of chemical substances. It deals with the information about health hazards and risks associated with exposure to dangerous agents or substances like chemicals or radiation.