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Mass Spectrometry

Mass Spectrometry is a technique used to measure the ________ of atoms or molecules. It involves ionizing the sample, separating the ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio, and detecting them to determine their abundance. This method provides information about the molecular structure, composition, and isotopic distribution of the ________.

Capillary Electrophoresis

A technique that separates molecules based on their charge and size using an electric field through a capillary tube. Used in DNA sequencing, protein analysis, and drug discovery. (like gel electrophoresis)

Isotope Ratio of Skeletal Remains

uses isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-13 ratios to find geographic location and how long the skeletal has remained in that area

Chromatography

A technique used to separate and analyze mixtures of substances based on their different properties and interactions with a stationary phase and a mobile phase.

ten print card

a card imprinted with all 10 fingerprints marked with individual characteristics

biometric

use of measurements and statistical analyses of someone’s physical characteristics

What is seized drug analysis

works with physical drugs

Toxicology

works with biological samples testing for the presence of drugs/poisons and their metabolites

How did the Marsh test work?

Once heated, if arsenic is present, would be converted into arsine (AsH3), which travels through the glass tube to another heating zone where it breaks down into metallic arsenic

What are the signs of lead poisoning (8)

blue discoloration along gum line, anemia, constipation, kidney problems, nausea, abdominal pain, insomnia, seizures

What are the signs of mercury poisoning (8)

Mad hatter’s disease (causes flu-like symptoms, upset stomach and muscle aches), excessive salivation, damage to the gums,mouth and teeth, personality changes, irritability,

What are the acute signs of arsenic poisoning? (4)

delirium, severe gastrointestinal symptoms, kidney failure, muscle cramps

What are the chronic signs of arsenic poisoning?

skin lesions, changes in pigment, headaches, personality changes

What are signs of Aldrin, dieldrin (pesticides) poisoning?

anxiety, seizures, twitching, rapid heartbeat, muscle weakness, sweating, excessive salivation, diarrhea, coma, and death.

What are signs of Glyphosate mixture (herbicide) poisoning?

ranges from gastrointestinal problems, skin and eye irritation, and kidney malfunction, to death.

How much ricin is required to be lethal?

500 micrograms

How long can death occur from absorption of ricin?

6-8 hours

How can acetaminophen affect the body?

Destroys cells and the liver’s ability to detoxify substances

How can cyanide affect the body?

binds to hemoglobin on red blood cells

How can fentanyl affect the body?

affects respiratory control

How can botox affect the body?

loss of muscle control that could control breathing

How can cocaine affect the body?

high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke

What factors does toxicity depend on?

dosage, potency, duration, nature of exposure, genetics, metabolites

What are signs someone’s been poisoned?

Death with no signs of trauma • Sudden unexpected death • Unexplained illness that recurs in cycles • Similar symptoms found in many people at the same time • Unexplained loss of consciousness

Gas chromatography

identifies and separates components • Mass spectrometry

Capillary electrophoresis

separates ions based on charge

Wet chemistry

uses liquid solvents to separate compounds

Raman spectroscopy

rapid, nondestructive, and requires very little sample

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)

quickly detects low traces of drugs in the blood

LC-MS/MS

liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry is a very sensitive and specific analytical method that determines the identities and concentration of multiple drugs in a sample

What is a proof?

double the amount of the percentage of alcohol in a drink

What are the characteristics of an overdose of mescaline?

Dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, anxiety, irrational thoughts

What are the characteristics of an overdose on bath salts (synthetic cathinones) (5/6)

Paranoia, panic attacks, extreme agitation and aggressive behavior, hallucinations, increased heart rate and blood pressure

What are the characteristics of an overdose of LSD?

Dilated pupils, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, increase in body temperature, sweating, confusion

What are the characteristics of an overdose on psilocybin?

altered perceptions, panic, paranoia, confusion

What are the characteristics of an overdose on marijuana?

heightened sensory perceptions, impaired memory, judgment

What are the characteristics of an overdose on synthetic marijuana?

variable levels of regular marijuana

What are the characteristics of an overdose on PCP/Angel dust?

Feelings of invulnerability and exaggerated strength, seizures, coma, hyperthermia

What are the characteristics of an overdose on MDMA/Ecstasy?

euphoria, increased energy, empathy, sweating, impaired cognition and motor function, irritability, anxiety

How is hair analysis useful in toxicology?

it can provide a long-term timeline of drug use

What are stimulants?

highly addictive drugs that increase feelings of energy and alertness while suppressing appetite.

Examples of stimulants

amphetamines methamphetamines, and cocaine

What are narcotics

painkillers, cough suppressants

What is the function of anabolic steroids?

they promote tissue growth and cell division

What is a drug

compound that causes a physiological effect

What is a poison

a substance that when ingested results in toxic or damaging effect, also referred to as toxins

How much carfentanil is needed to be lethal?

a few micrograms

What does ED stand for

effective dose

What does LD stand for

lethal dose

What is the mode of administration?

how a substance is ingested

What is a single large dose overdose

one dose’s concentration levels in blood exceed the therapeutic levels

What is a multiple doses overdose

when an individual takes doses too close of each other

Why are multiple doses overdose overdose

because it does not allow the blood concentration to drop

What does LD50 mean?

in a population, the dose would kill 50% of the population

What does excessive water intake cause?

dilutes the blood, causing sodium levels to drop, causing the cells to swell and burst

ADME

Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion

Which mode of administration are of most forensic interest

swallowing, inhaling, smoking, and snorting

What is the liver

the primary site of metabolism

What is the purpose of first-pass metabolism

lower concentration of drug in the bloodstream, only through oral digestion

What happens when a mode of administration is smoking or injection

the full amount enters the bloodstream, so the effect is immediate

What is the fatal dose of oxycodone

500mg (6.25 tablets)

Why can concentration levels of drugs + metabolites be found

because the liver is a primary part of metabolism

Where can metabolites be found

within the bloodstream

if cause/mechanism of death had not been determined, and the person showed no signs of metabolites within the system, but high concentrations of the parent drug, what would this indicate

they died shortly after ingesting

Which is the most important substance in Toxicology and why

blood because it has the concentration that correlates with lethal outcome

Where are blood samples taken?; one from the heart (central blood),and the second one a site away from the heart (peripheral blood)

Postmortem Distribution

when the heart stops circulating blood evenly, blood migrates depending on fat solubility compared with blood solubility, and aqueous systems.

Why is data from urine important

estimating what and how much the initial dose was and specific toxins can appear in larger quantities than what's found in blood

What can gastric contents reveal

can determine suicide due to large amounts of drugs and high toxic substances can be found in large amounts in the stomach rather than the blood

What is vitreous humor

gelatinous fluid in eyeball

Why is vitreous humor used

it can be a reliable measure of biochemical or a drug that may have decomposed in the blood

What is the liver likely to contain

large amounts of drugs, and even identify the drug if blood does not have it

Why is bile used

rich in drugs such as opiates

What are immunoassays used

to help identify a substance

What is the first step of an immunoassay

linking drug to large protein molecule, immunoglobulin - immunogen (because it invokes production of antibody)

(Immunoassay) The more concentrated the drug…

the more it will displace the labeled drug from the binding sites

What is the last step of an immunoassay

the reagent reacts with the label to generate a yellow color, and the more label that remains in the well, the more intense the yellow color. The intensity of the color is analyzed electronically and can be used to estimate the concentration of the drug in the original sample (how yellow it turns depends on the concentration of the sample)

Cyanide

toxic substance and poison that can be ingested via swallowing or inhalation of gaseous form, hydrogen cyanide (HCN)

Mass Spectrometry

basis of identification of a compound by MS is a study of how the molecule fragments under specific conditions

Chemical Instrumentation

Used to determine what compounds are present + at what concentration they are

Chromatography

different compounds are separated based on how they interact with the 3 matters

Is 15 ng/mL of Fentanyl enough to kill someone

yes

What are the most common plant based drugs

alkaloids (vegetable bases)

What are examples of alkaloids

nicotine, morphine, cocaine, atropine, and thebaine

Difference between organic and inorganic

organic has carbon, inorganic does not

What are exceptions to organic vs inorganic rule

cyanide

Precursor Chemicals

starting chemicals that are chemically altered to generate a controlled substance.

analog drugs

similar but not identical to existing drugs)

Where is cocaine found

the coca leaf

Where does erythroxylon coca grow in

mountainous regions

Is THC shown in the breath

no

Precursor chemicals

starting chemicals that are chemically altered to generate a controlled substance

What is ethanol converted to in the liver

90% of the dose is converted into acetaldehyde and acetic acid

How much does BAC have to be to be fatal

0.035%

How many times is the concentration of blood alcohol greater than the concentration of breath alcohol

2300 greater

How deadly is cyanide

can kill in less than a minute

Why is plant material like amygdalin and linamarin poisonous

ingestion leads to formation of cyanide in the body

What does acetonitrile metabolize to

cyanide

For HCN, which level is fatal

2500 ng/mL

Why is Carbon monoxide (CO) so deadly

it binds to hemoglobin tighter than in oxygen, so hb cannot transport oxygen to tissue