Careers in Chemistry: Toxicologist

So what is a toxicologist? they're job is to analyze the impact of toxic chemicals and radiation on humans and the environment. Which includes creating labs and field studies to collect information for determining what an entity's impact might have on us. The different areas of toxicology are...

         (From http://www.prospects.ac.uk/toxicologist_job_description.htm)

• isolating, identifying and measuring toxic substances or radiation and any harmful effect they have on humans, animals, plants or ecosystems;
• planning and carrying out a wide range of experiments in the field or laboratories, looking at the biological systems of plants and animals;
• analysing and evaluating statistical data and researching scientific literature;
• writing reports and scientific papers, presenting findings and, in the case of forensic work, giving evidence in court;
• advising on the safe handling of toxic substances and radiation, in production or in the event of an accident;specifically within the NHS, studying the effects of harmful chemicals, biological agents and drug overdose on people and advising on the treatment of affected patients;liaising with regulatory authorities to make sure you're complying with local, national and international regulations.

I choose this as the career to research into because it relates in almost everything we were learning this semester including atmospheric and gasses stoichiometry, masses stoichiometry, labs, chemical reactions, and solutions and solubility. Toxicologists focus on the effects on living organisms from chemicals or determining whether these chemical may have any of these effects. It can have a good effect on our environment and there are many Canadian toxicologists who our world gains benefit from. 

Prof. John P Giesy is a Canadian environmental toxicologist who's studies are now being used across the world. He studied the effects on our environment from chemicals such as PAHs, halogenated hydrocarbons, including chlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and -furans, PCBs and pesticides. He discovered the phenomenon of photo‑enhanced toxicity of organic compounds, such as PAHs. Don't think hes that important yet? He has recently received $106,257,239 from agencies around the world to conduct his research because of the effect it can have.



This kind of job may not seem like the most exiting, (even when I saw it I didn't expect it to be my choice.) but I feel that it is one of the most important. Because toxicologists are able to see what is invisible to us. They go out and search for the problems that are happening or are about to happen, they test if chemicals are good for the environment, and they even examine medication before it goes through testing which avoids a whole lot of problems. It may not seem like an exiting job, but without them where would we be?

References

Prospects.ac.uk,. 'Toxicologist: Job Description'. N.p., 2014. Web. 20 June 2015.

Smith, Yolanda. 'What Is Toxicology?'. News-Medical.net. N.p., 2010. Web. 20 June 2015.

Usask.ca,. 'Prof. John P. Giesy, Ph.D.'. Web. 20 June 2015.

Wikipedia,. 'Toxicology'. N.p., 2015. Web. 20 June 2015.

Flask and globe: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/training-needed-environmental-toxicologist-41389.html

Jar with powder : www.healthcareworkersalary.com

Test tubes: http://graduate.carleton.ca/programs/chemical-and-environmental-toxicology-phd/