ABSTRACT
Toxicology is an applied science focused on understanding the adverse outcomes associated with exposure to stressors that may range from consequences of climatic change, to toxins, metals, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of environmental contaminants. The history of toxicology dates back to ancient times as humans began to first appreciate consequences of natural poisons, followed by recognition of forensic and occupational aspects of toxicology. As pharmacology advanced, toxicology became a fundamental aspect of drug development. In the last 50–60 years, the implications of wildlife exposures spawned a subdiscipline of toxicology coined ecotoxicology. The influence of human activities in altering aquatic ecosystems in the past few decades has increased in an unprecedented way. Industrialization, agricultural runoff, and urbanization have resulted in the degradation of the water quality in rivers and coastal waters adversely impacting health of aquatic organisms as well as ecosystem health. These changes are also directly influencing human health by threatening water and food security. With the appreciation that effects in wildlife could both be an indicator of potential human effects, and reflect extreme ecological consequences of toxic exposures, fish became a key species of toxicological interest.
