Toxicology
By: Hunter Gomez
What is Toxicology?
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.
How is this field used in forensics?
Currently, this area of forensics has evolved to mean the study of illegal and legal drugs. Forensics toxicology can identify poisons and hazardous chemicals. They can identify the different make-ups of chemicals from different sources such as bodily fluids and hair. Forensics toxicology deals with the way that substances are absorbed, distributed, or eliminated in the body.
What is required to gain a job in this field?
Bachelor's degree in forensics science, chemistry or biology.
Criminal Case that used Forensic Toxicology to solve it.
In this case, two cars collided head on killing eight people. The driver at fault was on the wrong side of the road when the collision occurred. The driver was a successful mother with her children and nieces in the car so no one could understand why she was on the wrong side of the road. After the toxicology report, all came clear. The driver was both drunk and high at the same time of the incident. Therefore was not mentally correct enough to be driving on the road. Without the job of a Forensics Toxicologist, they would of never knew the reason behind the crash and who was at fault.