Forensic Toxicology

Drugs of abuse

Drugs are measured in three contexts:

• personal use = tested for in body and tissue samples

• selling & trafficking = tested for in powders and crystals and use HPLC-MS to identify

• infra-red spectroscopy can also be used - shining infra-red light on the chemical and measuring what wavelengths are reflected

What is the process of toxicology analysis?

1. Condition & weight of each organ is measured and compared to averages

2. Samples are taken

3. Samples are homogenised: blending samples with chemical ‘butters’, extracted chemical with a solvent, put under HPLC-MS to identify any toxins/chemicals

4. Findings identified & quantified to normal known ranges: was it a therpeutic or fatal dose?

Hair in drug cases

• can be useful for identifying drug use

  • if a drugs in a system, the hair follicles will absorb the drug into the while they grow

  • analysing the drug in a hair follicle means the length of time that the drug was taken, can be estimated

• this is done through HPLC-MS of the hair sample

What is forensic toxicology?

• the analysis of blood, urine, stomach contents, bile or organs to identify any drugs or chemicals present in the body

• used in cases like poison, murder, suicide or substance abuse (overdose)