toxicology
noun
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Even though most of us are aware of toxicology primarily from crime shows on TV, toxicologists actually do most of their work in other fields. Many are employed by drug companies, others by chemical companies. Many work for the government, making sure the public is being kept safe from environmental poisons in the water, soil, and air, as well as unhealthy substances in our food and drugs. These issues often have to do with quantity; questions about how much of some substance should be considered dangerous, whether in the air or in a soft drink, may be left to toxicologists. But occasionally a toxicology task may be more exciting: for instance, discovering that what looked like an ordinary heart attack was actually brought on by a hypodermic injection of a paralyzing muscle relaxant.
Examples of toxicology in a Sentence
Paulina Smolinski, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2024
Initial toxicology reports indicate drugs were found in his body while local reports said drug paraphernalia was also found in his hotel room.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024
Music Simon Cowell pays tribute to Liam Payne; Sharon Osbourne blames music industry for failing him
Oct. 18, 2024
Medical examiners last week requested a toxicology report, the preliminary results of which were reported Monday by ABC News, which cited unidentified sources.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024
The prosecutor’s office handling the case said in a statement that the toxicology report is still pending.
—Jack Irvin, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Toxicology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxicology. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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toxicology
noun
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