Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of drugs and chemicals on living organisms. It generally involves the detection, identification and quantification of a wide range of substances in human fluids and tissues and the subsequent interpretation of the results obtained.
Substances encountered by a forensic toxicologist may include ethanol (‘alcohol’), drugs and their body-breakdown products (both illicit and pharmaceutical), volatile substances (e.g. toluene and butane (from the inhalation of adhesives and aerosol propellants respectively) and methanol), carbon monoxide (from vehicle exhaust fumes or smoke from fires), metals and other toxic substances.