Preface(序二)

Toxicokinetics refers to the clearance of a drug or xenobiotic causing harm to an organism.This often occurs through misuse of a poison or deliberate overdoses causing toxicity and even sudden death.Forensic and legal practitionerswill often require information on the fate of the poison and its impact on the body.Hence the study and practice of forensic toxicokinetics is essential in any legal jurisdiction.

This book edited by Professor Dr Keming Yun of the ShanxiMedical university includes8 chapters in two parts on absorption，distribution，metabolism and removal rates of poisons generally，artefactual formation and loss of some poisons，methods of study in animalmodels，analytical techniques and an in-depth study of 31 key poisons of relevance to the People's Republic of China togetherwith interpretative issues affecting the toxicokinetics of poisons，such as post-mortem redistribution.

I commend this book to analytical and forensic toxicologists，and to clinical and forensicmedical practitioners who see victims of poisonings or who need to interpret cases involving the toxic effects of drugs and poisons，and to legal practitioners engaged in court proceedings.Given the relatively scarcity of information on this subject itwill be amuch used and sought-after resource in the People's Republic of China.

OLAF H.DRUMMER

HEAD，DEPARTMENTOF FORENSICMEDICINE，MONASH UNIVERSITY

HEAD，FORENSIC SCIENTIFIC SERVICES，

VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF FORENSICMEDICINE