UC Davis Department of Environmental Toxicology
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Commonly referred to as "E-tox", environmental toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of toxins within the environment upon human health. The scope of environmental toxicology is inclusive of naturally occurring agents such as metals, mycotoxins and bacterial elements as well as anthropogenic toxins like pesticides, food additives, industrial waste, and other chemicals. Environmental toxicology majors study how to quantify these agents in environmental media, identify risks, characterize exposure, model chemical movement in the environment and examine modern theory of regulations of hazardous materials.
The major relies heavily on preparatory work in general, organic and biological chemistry and it is helpful to have a basic understanding of atmospheric, hydrologic and soil sciences. Graduates earn a B.S. in Environmental Toxicology and have little trouble finding work in their fields of focus due to the increasing demand for toxicologists in industry, government and other agencies.[citation needed] The degree also is an excellent primer for graduate studies in medicine, epidemiology, forensics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biotechnology, food science, public health, water quality, and many more. The degree is broad enough to allow students to define their own interests, yet focused enough to specialize in their field of interest.
