Forensic Toxicology The study and practice of the application of toxicology to the purposes of the law Began in 19 th Century Types: Environmental—air, water, soil Consumer—foods, cosmetics, drugs Medical, clinical, forensic

Poison.. What is it? Any substance that causes injury, illness, or death especially by chemical means.

“All Things are poison and nothing (is) without poison; only the dose makes that a thing is no poison.” Paracelsus

Earliest Record of Poison 339 BC Socrates execution- extract of hemlock (plant related to the carrot. Contains an alkaloid similar to nicotine effects the nervous system. 339 BC Socrates execution- extract of hemlock (plant related to the carrot. Contains an alkaloid similar to nicotine effects the nervous system. Using poisons became an art; like to use ones with no trace, because it looked as if people died from natural causes Using poisons became an art; like to use ones with no trace, because it looked as if people died from natural causes

Where Toxicology occurs Postmortem—medical examiner or coroner Criminal—motor vehicle accidents (MVA) Workplace—drug testing Sports—human and animal Environment—industrial, catastrophic, terrorism

Post-Mortem Forensic Tox Determines the absence or presence of drugs & their metabolites. Determines the absence or presence of drugs & their metabolites. Chemicals such as ethanol and other volatile substances, CO and other gases, metals & other toxic chemicals in human fluids & tissues & evaluates their role as a determinant or contributory factor in the cause & manner of death. Chemicals such as ethanol and other volatile substances, CO and other gases, metals & other toxic chemicals in human fluids & tissues & evaluates their role as a determinant or contributory factor in the cause & manner of death.

Historical Perspective of Poisoners Locusta—personal poisoner of Emperor Nero Lucretia Borgia—father was Pope Alexander VI She used a ring with poison. She “killed” her lovers and her fathers political “enemies”.

Madame Giulia Toffana— responsible for over 600 successful poisonings, including two popes She sold the “Toffana Water” to women who wanted to kill their husbands (lead, arsenic, belladona) [1600’s] Hieronyma Spara— formed a society to teach women how to murder their husbands (arsenic) To aid women to inherit money (1600’s)

Father of Toxicology Mathieu Orfila— father of forensic toxicology published in 1814 Traité des poisons which described the first systematic approach to the study of the chemistry and physiological nature of poisons

Aspects of Toxicity Dosage Dosage The chemical or physical form of the substance The chemical or physical form of the substance The mode of entry into the body The mode of entry into the body Body weight and physiological conditions of the victim, including age and sex Body weight and physiological conditions of the victim, including age and sex The time period of exposure The time period of exposure The presence of other chemicals in the body or in the dose The presence of other chemicals in the body or in the dose

Lethal Dose LD 50 refers to the dose of a substance that kills half the test population, usually within four hours Expressed in milligrams of substance per kilogram of body weight

Toxicity Classification LD 50 (rat,oral)Correlation to Ingestion by 150-lb Adult Human Toxicity <1 mg/kga taste to a dropextreme 1–50 mg/kgto a teaspoonhigh 50–500 mg/kgto an ouncemoderate 500–5,000 mg/kgto a pintslight 5–15 g/kgto a quartpractically nontoxic Over 15 g/kgmore than 1 quartrelatively harmless

Symptoms of Poisoning Type of Poison Carbon monoxide Sulfuric acid Hydrochloric acid Nitric acid PhosphorusCyanideArsenic,mercury Symptom/Evidence Red or pink patches on the chest & thigh, unusually bright red lividity Black vomit Greenish-brown vomit Yellow vomit Coffee-brown vomit, onion or garlic odor Burnt almond odor & slow breathing Extreme diarrhea & Nausea and vomiting, unconsciousness, possibly blindness Impaired speech, lose of vision, pins and needles feelings

Lead Poisoning Lead- not highly poisonous, chronic exposure can cause health risks (more in children than adults) Lead- not highly poisonous, chronic exposure can cause health risks (more in children than adults) More than 400,000 children under 6 have higher than normal blood levels of lead which can lead to brain damage, memory loss and decrease critical thinking skills More than 400,000 children under 6 have higher than normal blood levels of lead which can lead to brain damage, memory loss and decrease critical thinking skills

Where is Lead found? Most common: Lead based Paints Most common: Lead based Paints Lead is sweet, children would teethed on windowsills Lead is sweet, children would teethed on windowsills 1992 passed a law houses had to disclose if they used lead based paint 1992 passed a law houses had to disclose if they used lead based paint Lead-gasoline – still remains in soil Lead-gasoline – still remains in soil Lead pipes- if water is acidic lead can be leached from metal Lead pipes- if water is acidic lead can be leached from metal Lead crystal should not be used to store acidic foods or drinks Lead crystal should not be used to store acidic foods or drinks

What can it do to your body? Lead poisoning can cause Lead poisoning can cause Brain damage Brain damage Affecting memory & thought processes Affecting memory & thought processes