ii. Cyanide is a rare but potentially deadly poison. It works by making the body unable to use lifesustaining

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1 A. Intro a. Toxicology is the study of. i. Toxicologists study the these substances may have on the body b. Forensic Toxicology is the science of and drugs and poisons a person may have used for medicinal, recreational, or purposes. c. Exposure to toxins can happen in four ways: i. them through the gastrointestinal system ii. them into the lungs iii. them into the bloodstream iv. them through the skin d. Toxic substances can be classified by how people are exposed to them: i. to treat illness or relieve pain ii. by overdose or harmful combination iii. as a suicide attempt or to inflict harm or death upon others e. is the extent to which a substance is poisonous, and if affected by many factors: i. - how much is taken ii. - frequency and length of exposure iii. How it was taken- ingested, inhaled, injected, or absorbed iv. - other substances in the body B. History a. Poisonings have been documented since 399 B.C. with Greek Philosopher as one of the first victims. b. Poisoning very common by 17 th century, as and were used to settle disputes. i. Arsenic is a chemical element that occurs naturally in soil and minerals. It is released naturally from the Earth's crust (through erosion, runoff, volcanoes, etc.) as well as through industrial processes such as mining, metal smelting, and burning of fossil fuels. Arsenic can contaminate air, water, and soil. 1. Arsenic is an, poison. Exposure to it can cause many health problems. Being exposed to low levels for a long time can change the color of your skin, cause corns and small warts, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, numbness in hands and feet, partial paralysis, blindness, and a variety of cancers. Exposure to high levels of arsenic can cause death. 2. Through much of the nineteenth century, a of all criminal cases of poisoning involved arsenic. One reason for its popularity was simply its availability; it is the major ingredient in poison. 3. The Test is a method to detect arsenic and was the use of toxicology in a jury trial. Unit 8 - Toxicology 1

2 ii. Cyanide is a rare but potentially deadly poison. It works by making the body unable to use lifesustaining. 1. Cyanide sometimes is described as having a bitter smell, but it does not always give off an odor, and not everyone can detect this odor. 2. Cyanide enters water, soil, or air as a result of both natural processes and industrial activities. In manufacturing, cyanide is used to make paper, textiles, and plastics. Cyanide is contained in smoke and the combustion products of synthetic materials such as plastics. A common source of cyanide poisoning is during the burning of common substances such as rubber, plastic, and silk which create cyanide fumes. c. During the 19 th century, physicians Mathieu Orfila and Robert Christison developed tests to identify the poisons in human tissue. This was the of the field of forensic toxicology. d. Today, forensic toxicologists are concerned with the and aspects of alcohol, drugs, poisons, and toxins in body fluids. i. Toxicologists will often work with to analyze body fluids from. They use highly sophisticated instruments, chemical reagents and precise methodologies to determine the presence or absence of specific substances in the sample. They may also be responsible for presenting evidence in. ii. Toxicologists also analyze evidence to determine if alcohol or drugs were a contributing factor in criminal cases, such as and (testing for date rape drugs). iii. The field of forensic toxicology has also grown to include drug and alcohol testing for as well as testing for performance-enhancing substances. C. Murder by Poisoning a. There are two types of poisoning: i. poisoning 1. Involves high doses over time periods 2. Example: Cyanide; produces immediate symptoms ii. poisoning 1. Involves lower doses over periods 2. Examples: and ; symptoms develop gradually b. Poisoning causes less than ½ of 1% of all homicides ; Accidental drug are much more common D. Drugs and Crime a. drugs can be defined as drugs with no current accepted use in the United States i. Examples: and b. substances are legal drugs whose sale, possession, and use are because of the mind-altering effect of the drugs and the for i. Examples: Prescribed, depressants, and stimulants c. Of the top eight arrest offenses in the United States, drug abuse violations continuously rank near the of the list. Unit 8 - Toxicology 2

3 Estimated totals of top eight arrest offenses in the United States, 2010 Property crime 1,643,962 Drug abuse violations 1,638,846 Driving under the influence 1,412,223 Simple assaults 1,292,449 Larceny/theft 1,271,410 Disorderly conduct 615,172 Drunkenness 560,718 Violent crime 552,077 Total Arrests 13,120,947 Source: FBI, Uniform Crime Reports, Crime in the United States, annually. d. Drug offenders make up more than of the federal prison system population and about % of the population in state prisons. e. Over % of domestic violence disputes are drug related f. % of child endangerment cases are drug related E. Controlled Substances a. Federal Law established 5 schedules of classification of controlled substances based on i. Drug s potential for ii. Potential to physical and psychological iii. Medical b. 5 Schedules of Controlled Substances: i. Schedule I 1. Drugs with potential for abuse and addiction, medical value a. Ex: Heroin, LSD, Ecstasy, Marijuana ii. Schedule II 1. Drugs with high potential for abuse and addiction, have medical value with restrictions a. Ex: PCP, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Most Opiates, Some Barbiturates iii. Schedule III 1. Drugs with potential for abuse and addiction, currently acceptable for medical use a. Ex: Some Barbiturates, Codeine, Steroids iv. Schedule IV 1. Drugs with potential for abuse and addiction, currently acceptable for medical use a. Ex: Tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax, Librium v. Schedule V 1. Drugs with low potential abuse, medical use, potential dependency a. Ex: Some Opiates with Non-Narcotic Ingredients c. Types of Controlled Substances i. 1. drugs 2. Increase awareness of sensory input 3. Affect the user s, thinking, self-awareness, and emotions. 4. Diminish control and can cause panic 5. The effect and intensity of response to these drugs from person to person Unit 8 - Toxicology 3

4 ii. Narcotics 1. Act to reduce by suppressing the central nervous system s ability to relay pain messages to the brain 2. Can produce and a. Tolerance is a condition in which doses of a drug are required to produce the effect experienced during initial use. i. Tolerance is often associated with physical. b. Withdrawal is a collection of symptoms that a person experiences when, after a period of regular use, the quantity of available substance in the brain is reduced. i. Symptoms and signs of withdrawal are often to the main effect of the drug. iii. Stimulants 1. Increase feelings of well-being,, and while suppressing. Can be followed by depression. 2. Tend to be highly. 3. Used to treat narcolepsy and (Ritalin) 4. Also includes and Unit 8 - Toxicology 4

5 iv. Anabolic 1. Promote cell and tissue and division 2. Popular with weightlifters, bodybuilders, and other athletes; used to increasing mass and body. 3. Side effects can include, increased body hair, baldness, high blood, high cholesterol, impaired fertility in males, blood clotting, heart attacks, and certain types of. 4. There are three different methods to use anabolic steroids: through the veins or muscle tissue, intake, and rubbed onto the in the form of gels or creams. 5. The most common anabolic steroids taken today include anadrol, oxandrin, dianabol, winstrol, deca-durabolin, and equipoise. 6. On the street, steroids may be called, roids or. v. 1. Depressants are substances which the normal function of the central nervous system. 2. Cause and slowed brain activity; relieve anxiety and produce sleep 3. Side effects include slurred and loss of. Overdoses slow heart rate and breathing and have the potential to induce and cause death. 4. Mixing depressants with alcohol and other drugs increases potency and health risks 5. Include Barbituates and Benzodiazepines, such as valium, Xanax, and Rohypnol drug F. Other Toxins a. Alcohols i. All alcohols are toxic to the body; can damage the, alter behavior, and depress the Central Nervous System ii. Alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and intestine 1. in the liver 2. Excreted by, perspiration, and iii. 18,000 out of 44,000 annual deaths are alcohol related and send over 2 million people to the hospital b. Bacterial Toxins i. is the most poisonous biological substance known to humans. Caused by Clostridium botulinum. 1. So deadly that one gram of the crystalline toxin evenly spread out and inhaled could kill more than a people 2. Acts as a neurotoxin and muscles; Causes irreversible damage to endings Unit 8 - Toxicology 5

6 3. Extremely in small amounts and causes painful before death 4. Can be found in contaminated food such as vegetables, cured pork and ham, smoked or raw fish,, and corn syrup. 5. High and can kill the bacteria and spores. ii. is also caused by bacteria, caused by Clostridium tetani. 1. Deadly nervous system disease that causes muscle spasms 2. Responsible for 1 million deaths per year worldwide, but only 5 deaths per year in U.S. because of against it. c. Pesticides i. A pesticide is any substance used to pests. Pests may be target,,, etc. Most control the pests by poisoning them. ii. Unfortunately, pesticides can be poisonous to humans as well. Some are very poisonous, or toxic, and may seriously injure or even kill humans. Others are relatively non-toxic. iii. Pesticides can the skin, eyes, nose, or mouth. The most important thing to remember is that you should always use caution whenever you work with any pesticide! iv. There are three specific ways in which pesticides may enter your body. 1. exposure: Wet, dry, or gaseous forms of pesticides can be absorbed through the skin. 2. : Whether as dusts, spray mist, or fumes, pesticides can be drawn into your lungs as you breathe. 3. Ingestion: Pesticides can enter the body through the mouth; this can occur when hands are not properly washed before or. v. Each pesticide is classified into a "toxicity category" and given an associated "signal word" that must appear on every product label so that pesticide users are alerted to the pesticide's. vi. Examples of pesticides: d. Heavy Metals Unit 8 - Toxicology 6

7 i. Metal compounds such as,, and are very poisonous. ii. Have been used for and e. Gases i. Hydrogen cyanide- used in gas ii. Carbon monoxide- car f. Bioterrorism Agents i. - derived from beans of the plant. 1. Ricin is lethal in humans in very small quantities; it enters the cells of the body and prevents them from making necessary, causing cell death. Victim dead within a few hours. 2. In April 2013, envelopes that preliminarily tested positive for ricin were intercepted at the US Capitol's off-site mail facility in Washington, D.C. According to reports, the envelopes were addressed to the office of Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker and President Barack Obama. ii. - caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that forms spores. 1. Spreads to humans from infected. 2. Can enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption. 3. In 2001, shortly after the terrorist attacks of, 22 letters laced with anthrax were sent in the U.S. mail. Five were killed and 17 were sickened in what became one of the biological attacks in U.S. history. G. Tests for Toxins a. The lab handles the analysis of marijuana, other drugs, and prescription medications which may be involved in criminal cases or found in the possession of subjects involved in various crimes. i. By means of chemical tests, most controlled substances and common drugs can be. ii. There exists a huge range of tests for the detection of certain substances but to conduct all of these tests to determine the identity of the substance would be time consuming, so " testing" is done. 1. Presumptive testing does not positively identify the substance but it does down the many possibilities so that more specific tests can later be conducted. 2. Presumptive screening is and fairly. 3. If a screen is positive, it needs further testing; further testing is called a. While a presumptive screening test gives a positive or negative result, it does not tell you how much drug is in the sample. This means you cannot tell when, how much, or exactly which drug the person has taken. This can only be done with a confirmation test. a. Examples: i. tests, Microcrystalline Testing, Thin Layer Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, Spectrophotometry, Mass Spectrometry, Neutron activation analysis (NAA). b. Forensic toxicologists also perform scientific tests on bodily fluids and tissue samples to identify any drugs or chemicals present in the of victims or suspects. i. Commonly tested body fluids include: blood, urine, vitreous humor. Other substances that may be used include breath, saliva, hair, and stomach contents. ii. They a not always looking for exact chemicals, but of the desired chemicals (ex. heroin converts to morphine within seconds) c. An, also known as a post-mortem examination, may also be needed. Unit 8 - Toxicology 7

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