环境科学利用自然系统的物理，化学，生物和定量方面的基础知识。该知识适用于通常由人类活动引起的问题。在环境毒理学中，这些问题包括化学物质向空气，水和土壤中的释放，从而对生活在这些系统中的生物产生影响。影响通常对生物有害，并可能发生在生物组织的各个层面，包括：分子，细胞，个体，种群，社区和生态系统。
Environmental toxicology is a relatively new discipline that is rapidly evolving to include molecular sciences, advanced analytical techniques, large data, and consideration of linkages to societies. It is a multidisciplinary field focused on the impacts of chemicals in the environment on living organisms. In our emphasis, we also consider environmental and analytical chemistry, and environmental remediation.<br><br>With the frequent development and technologies of chemicals such as pesticides and nanotechnology, new discoveries such as the effects of microplastics and stormwater on marine and freshwater organisms, established relationships between chemical exposure and effects to animals, and ongoing interactions between toxicology, climate change, and other aspects of our changing environment, there is much to learn and help solve.