This book is intended for use as a general text for courses given to intermediate undergraduate students with some basic background in chemistry, biology, and ecology. Graduate students with backgrounds in such traditional disciplines as chemistry, geography, or engineering, who are beginning studies that require an understanding of environmental toxicology, will also find the text useful. Additional readings, beyond those cited in the text, have been provided for those students who wish to take the subject matter further.

In common with many university and school texts, the original idea for this book grew from a course that the authors designed and presented. This began in 1989. Since that time, we have modified the material for use in different courses, in both the United States and Canada. Also since that time in environmental toxicology, existing approaches have evolved and new ones have been introduced. Technological advances, particularly in computers and in analytical chemistry and its applications, have facilitated progress. Beginning in the 1970s, but notably over the past decade, a number of excellent essay collections, as well as various texts addressing environmental toxicology, aquatic toxicology, ecotoxicology, and related topics, have been published. We have attempted to incorporate information on most of the significant items of progress, while providing the core and accepted components of the science, and to convey the enthusiasm that we have experienced, and continue to experience, over the subject area.