Forensic Toxicology

Education

Regulation

Forensic toxicology is the use of toxicology and other disciplines such as analytical chemistry, pharmacology and clinical chemistry to aid medicolegal investigation of death, poisoning, and drug use. The primary concern for forensic toxicology is not the legal outcome of the toxicological investigation, but rather the technology and techniques for obtaining and interpreting the results. A toxicological analysis can be done to various kinds of samples.

A toxin is any material exerting a life threatening effect upon a living organism. Poisons are a subgroup of toxins. Toxic materials exist in many forms (gaseous, liquid, solid, animal, mineral, and vegetable), and may be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Poisons generally enter the body in a single massive dose, or accumulate to a massive dose over time. Toxins work in minute quantities or low levels, requiring sensitive analytical instruments for detection. Some toxins have medicinal value, but many produce irreparable damage. Some toxins have antidotes and others do not. Poisons can be combated by prompt treatment, and most organ damage (except for serious CNS injury) may be repairable. Whereas poisons are somewhat easily identifiable by their symptoms, many toxins tend to disguise or mask themselves. For example, lead is a toxin, the toxicity of which comes from its ability to mimic other biologically important metals, such as calcium, iron and zinc which act as cofactors in many normal bodily enzymatic reactions. The most common elements which fall into the category of poisons are arsenic, antimony, mercury, and thallium (Emsley 2005).

A forensic toxicologist must consider the context of an investigation, in particular any physical symptoms recorded, and any evidence collected at a crime scene that may narrow the search, such as pill bottles, powders, trace residue, and any available chemicals. Provided with this information and samples with which to work, the forensic toxicologist must determine which toxic substances are present, in what concentrations, and the probable effect of those chemicals on the person.

Sources: Wikipedia
Megalinks in Criminal Justice

Attention: open in a new window.