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Forensic Toxicology

Forensic Toxicology. Deaths Investigated by Forensic Toxicologists. Accidental Poisonings Drug Abuse Cases Suicidal Poisonings Homicidal Poisonings. Main Questions Addressed by Forensic Toxicologist. Is a drug or poison present? If so, what is the substance?

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Forensic Toxicology

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  1. Forensic Toxicology

  2. Deaths Investigated by Forensic Toxicologists • Accidental Poisonings • Drug Abuse Cases • Suicidal Poisonings • Homicidal Poisonings

  3. Main Questions Addressed by Forensic Toxicologist • Is a drug or poison present? If so, what is the substance? • How much of the substance is present? Is the concentration great enough to cause or contribute to death? • How was the drug/poison administered?

  4. Properties of Ideal Poison

  5. Properties of Ideal Poison • Undetectable by senses • Soluble in water • Delayed effect • Easily obtained • Non-traceable • Symptoms mimic actual disease • Undetectable by scientific instruments • Potent

  6. Agent Botulinum toxin Ricin Strychnine Sodium arsenite Sodium cyanide Thallium Lethal Dose 0.05 mg 0.5 mg 100 mg 200 mg 250 mg 1000 mg Potencies of Various Poisons *As measured by the LD50 – the lethal dose that would kill 50% of people

  7. General Classes of Poisons • Gases – HCN, CO • Metallic Poisons – As, Sb, Pb, Li, Hg, Tl • Non-volatile organics • Corrosive poisons – strong acids/bases • Salts – NaCN • Alkaloids • Pesticides

  8. Carbon Monoxide (CO) • Normal level of 1-3% in body (up to 10% in smokers) • Fatal level at autopsy considered to be >50% for a healthy middle-aged male • CO prevents Oxygen binding to hemoglobin (red blood cells) • Leads to suffocation • CO victims have “cherry pink color”

  9. Metal Poisons • Most common – As2O3 (arsenic) • Death within 24 hours • Can be given in trace amounts over long periods of time • Symptoms: • Vomiting • Diarrhea

  10. Alkaloids • Nitrogen-containing organic base • Found in Plants and fungi • Strychnine most common • Death from muscle over-contraction, leading to respiratory system failure • Spasms and convulsions

  11. Pesticides • Many (most?) of the pesticides we spray on our lawns, gardens, etc. are poisonous • Growing in popularity • Easy to obtain • Common enough that it won’t raise suspicions as quickly if traces found

  12. Toxicological Analysis of Tissues • Collect sample of all body fluids • Collect samples from organs and tissues • Begin analysis as quickly as possible after death due to quick metabolism of toxins • Look for traces of poison OR their metabolic product (what toxin is changed into when broken down)

  13. Fluids Soft Tissue Samples Collected at Autopsy

  14. Fluids Blood – up to 100mL Urine – 100 mL Bile – all available Vitreous – all available Gastric contents – 50g Soft Tissue Liver – 100g Brain – 100-200g Kidney – 50g Lung – 50g Spleen – 50g Samples Collected at Autopsy

  15. Perpetrator Profile Gender Intentional Poisoning Trends

  16. Perpetrator Profile Caucasian Male Average or above IQ Underachiever Personality defect Non-confrontational Non-athletic Neat, orderly, meticulous Loner Gender Male – 46% Female – 39% Unknown – 15% Intentional Poisoning Trends

  17. Top 5 Homicidal Poisons • Arsenic – 31% • Cyanide – 9% • Strychnine – 6% • Morphine – 3% • Chloroform – 3%

  18. Possible Symptoms • Constricted/dilated pupils (opioids, organic phosphates) • Breath odor (arsenic – smells of garlic) • Hair loss (Thallium) • Convulsions (strychnine) • Paralysis (botulism) • Coma (depressants, hypnotics) • Skin color (CO=red, nitrites=blue) • Skin appearance • (arsenic – hyperkeratosis, warts) • (dioxin – chloracne)

  19. TCDD (dioxin) – Chloracne Poisoning of Victor Yushchenko just before Ukraine presidential election

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