Description
The first edition of this book arose out of my perception that there is a large amount of toxicology lore that is widely accepted as fact and used in toxicological reports, but is not supported by easily accessible references. I also felt that there was a need for a practical, user-friendly introductory text for those coming to toxicology from related fields or professions, and who need some insight into how toxicity studies and investigations are carried out. I thought that the book should be informative but readable and should also act as a gateway to the subject, indicating where further information can be found, including the use of websites for literature searches and other areas, such as regulations and guidelines.
The book is set out as a guide on how to evaluate toxicity and then how to handle and use the data that are generated. After an introduction to the concepts of toxicology, the book takes the reader through the processes of toxicity testing and interpretation before looking at the concepts of hazard prediction and risk assessment and management. Two final chapters look at the evaluation of different chemical classes and at the future of toxicity testing and risk assessment.
The audience for this book includes, new graduates starting careers in toxicology, those coming to the subject from different fields, and specialists in particular areas of toxicology who need some background on the other areas.
It is inevitable that as soon as a book hits the shelves (or screens), it will go out-of-date and the pressures of wanting to be up-to-date must be balanced against those to finish the manuscript on time. Suffice it to say that I was aware that the first edition lacked some areas that needed to be addressed, such as safety pharmacology, and would certainly need to be updated if ever a second edition became necessary. Accordingly, this new edition includes two entirely new chapters, one on safety pharmacology and one on the evaluation of different chemical classes. The chapter on alternatives has been completely rewritten and all the others have been reviewed and revised to a greater or lesser extent. The glossary has been expanded slightly and the index has been improved.