FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY ETHYL ALCOHOL

TOXICOLOGY The study of poisons

TOXICOLOGISTS Detect and identify drugs and poisons in body fluids, tissues, and organs

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGISTS

OCCUPATIONALTOXICOLOGISTS

FORENSIC TOXICOLOGISTS- duties limited to legal issues Workplace drug testing - Postmortem drug testing Investigation of contraband materials

TOXICOLOGY OF ALCOHOL A CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANT

90 MILLION AMERICANS DRINK.. 10 MILLION HAVE A “DRINKING PROBLEM”

EFFECTS OF ETHYL ALCOHOL ON THE HUMAN BODY PRINCIPAL EFFECT IS ON THE

FOREBRAIN IS AFFECTED FIRST reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving

REAR PORTIONS ARE AFFECTED NEXT movement, orientation, recognition, perception of stimuli perception and recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speech

… FINALLY THE MEDULLA IS AFFECTED

LOWERS INHIBITIONS In one study of unplanned pregnancies in year olds, 1/3 of the girls who had gotten pregnant had been drinking when they had sex; 91% of them reported that the sex was unplanned. Half of all newly-reported AIDS cases are for young people ages 14-21…

IMPAIRS JUDGEMENT 40% OF TRAFFIC FATALITIES INVOLVE ALCOHOL

LONG-TERM EFFECTS HEALTHY LIVER CIRRHOTIC LIVER JAUNDICED KIDNEYS

ABSORPTION INTO THE BLOODSTREAM 20% OF ALCOHOL IS ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM ACROSS THE WALLS OF THE STOMACH 80% IS ABSORBED ACROSS THE WALLS OF THE SMALL INTESTINE

FACTORS THAT AFFECT HOW FAST ALCOHOL IS ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM

TIME TAKEN TO CONSUME THE DRINK

ALCOHOL CONTENT OF THE DRINK

TYPE OF ALCOHOL ABSORBED SLOWLY ABSORBED FASTER

AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMED

AMOUNT AND TYPE OF FOOD IN

WEIGHT OF DRINKER

SEX OF DRINKER

ALCOHOL DISTRIBUTES ONLY TO WATERY AREAS

ONE DRINK IS EQUAL TO.. ONE

Maximum blood-alcohol concentrations in the blood may not be reached until after time of consumption TO 90 MIN IS AVERAGE

Under NORMAL SOCIAL DRINKING conditions It takes anywhere from 30 – 90 minutes from the time of the final drink until absorption is complete

Since alcohol is distributed through the watery portions of the body Other organs may be tested for alcohol

ELIMINATION OF “BURN-OFF” RATE 0.015% % w/v per hour (0.015% is.015 g alcohol per 100 ml blood) 1 – 1½ DRINKS PER HOUR

OXIDATION AROUND 95% OF ALCOHOL THAT ENTERS THE BODY IS OXIDIZED IN THE LIVER Alcohol → acetaldehyde → acetic acid→ CO 2 + H 2 O

EXCRETION Is the elimination of alcohol in UNCHANGED STATE 5%

Blood Alcohol Content

Measuring Breath for BAC Amount of Alcohol EXHALED is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to the Concentration of alcohol in the BLOOD

Two ways to measure alcohol in the body: INDIRECT METHOD DIRECT METHOD:

ANATOMY ARTERIES VEINS CARRY BLOOD AWAY FROM THE HEART CARRY BLOOD TO THE HEART

Alcohol travels through the body: 20% of alcohol is Absorbed from walls of stomach To veins

80% passes from walls of small intestine to Veins to liver (Small intestine)

In ALVEOLI oxygen enters the blood and CO 2 leaves it

At 34 0 C The ratio of alcohol in the blood To alcohol in the alveoli is 2100:1

1 ml of blood contains the Same amount of alcohol as 2100 ml alveolar breath

DURING ABSORPTION: CONCENTRATION OF ALCOHOL IN ARTERIAL BLOOD WILL BE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN VENOUS BLOOD (dark red color) During elimination, venous blood has higher BAC

THE BREATHALYZER Measures ALCOHOL CONTENT of ALVEOLAR BREATH

THE BREATHALYZER INDIRECTLY MEASURES THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMED BY MEASURING THE ABSORPTION OF LIGHT USING A SPECTROPHOTOMETER

HOW IT WORKS: 16 H+ (aq) + Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) + 3 C 2 H 5 OH (l) → (orange) (alcohol) 4 Cr 3+ (aq) + 3 CH 3 COOH (aq) + 11 H 2 O (l) (green) UNUSED ORANGE MIXES WITH GREEN PRODUCED TO MAKE A BLUE SOLUTION

In other words…. ORANGE + ALCOHOL → GREEN (Cr 2 O 7 2- (aq) ) Little or no alcohol: ORANGE Some alcohol: BLUE (orange + green ) A lot of alcohol: GREEN or GREENISH BLUE The HIGHER the concentration of alcohol, the LOWER the concentration of potassium dichromate (K 2 Cr 2 O 7 )

FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS are performed to find the degree of impairment and whether an evidential test is justified

ALCOHOL GAZE NYSTAGMUS (HORIZONTAL OR VERTICAL) INVOLUNTARY JERKING OF THE EYE AS EYE MOVES FROM LOOKING STRAIGHT TO LOOKING UP & DOWN OR LOOKING TO THE SIDE

WALK & TURN TEST DIVIDED - ATTENTION TASKS

ONE-LEG BALANCE

ANALYSIS OF BLOOD FOR ALCOHOL

GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY USED IN FORENSIC LABS

IN HOSPITALS.. A CHEMICAL REACTION IS CARRIED OUT IN THE LAB

COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF BLOOD

NON-ALCOHOLIC DISINFECTANTS ANTICOAGULANTS PRESERVATIVES REFRIGERATION SEALED AIR-TIGHT CONTAINERS

ALCOHOL AND THE LAW

BLOOD TOXICATION LEVELS OVER 21:

UNDER or higher

INCREASED DRIVING RISK

REFUSE TO TAKE A TEST FOR ALCOHOL INTOXICATION AUTOMATIC LOSS OF LICENSE FOR ONE YEAR AN ADDITIONAL LOSS OF LICENSE FOR ONE YEAR IF CONVICTED IMPLIED CONSENT LAW

PA DUI LAWS Three tiered system: Fines, jail time depend on the amount of alcohol in the body (BAC) and if there have been any previous convictions and up

ARD ( A ccelerated R ehabilitative D isposition The ARD program consists of the following: up to 12-month license suspension community service restitution 6-month court supervision attendance at Alcohol Highway Safety School and its costs CRN evaluation court and administrative costs treatment and other conditions that a judge may impose Persons with any prior convictions are not eligible for ARD

HOMICIDE BY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Section 3735 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code Any person who unintentionally causes the death of another person as the result of… driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance and who is convicted of violating [the law regarding driving under the influence] is guilty of a felony of the second degree when the violation is the cause of death. The penalty is a mandatory sentence of 3-10 years incarceration and consecutive 3-10 year terms for each victim whose death is a result. The fine may be as high as $25,000 per victim.

25% of teen drivers killed in 2003 had a blood alcohol concentration of.08 or greater. A BAC of.08 is the level which all states define drunk driving.

More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year— about 4.65 a day— as a result of alcohol- related injuries.

Alcohol poisoning most often occurs as a result of the rapid intake of alcohol, also known as binge drinking. This high amount of alcohol can lead to seizures, choking, an irregular heart beat and even death.

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning Confusion Slow reflexes Unable to communicate effectively Slurring in speech Rapid pulse Feeling sick, vomiting Dehydration Unconsciousness Moist, clammy skin Inability to walk Pale, blue colored skin

What are the Effects of Alcohol Poisoning? The effects of alcohol poisoning can be devastating, especially if the drinker becomes unconscious. In fact, numerous deaths have occurred as a result of an unconscious person choking on their own vomit or breathing in vomit. Possible effects of alcohol poisoning include: Irregular heart beat Choking (from vomiting) Coma Decrease in body temperature (hypothermia) Brain damage Seizure Strange breathing patterns Inhalation of vomit causing a halt in breathing patterns (asphyxiation) Death

5 Steps to Take if Someone You Know Has Alcohol Poisoning Call 911 or a local poison control center if you think someone you know has alcohol poisoning. Stay with the person. Never leave a severely intoxicated person alone. Turn the person onto their side to prevent choking if vomiting occurs. Monitor breathing levels. If you know CPR, be prepared to use this skill in case of an emergency. Continually try to revive the person if they are passed out.

EXPUNGEMENT is a legal process through which an arrest or conviction may be erased from a person's criminal record.

In Pennsylvania: Juvenile DUIs

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONSEQUENCES

75 % OF EVIDENCE NOW BEING EVALUATED IN U.S. CRIME LABS IS DRUG-RELATED 90% of drugs tested in a toxicology lab