Forensics Toxicology PPT
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Transcript Forensics Toxicology PPT
Toxicology
Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
Controlled substance – a drug or other
chemical compound whose manufacture,
distribution, possession, and use is regulated by
the legal system
Drug – a chemical substance that affects the
processes of the mind or body; a substance used in
the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease;
a substance used recreationally for its effects on
the mind or body, such as a narcotic or
hallucinogen
Narcotic – an addictive drug, such as opium, that
relieves pain, alters mood and behavior, and causes
sleep or feelings of mental numbness
Vocabulary
4.
Poison – a naturally occurring or manufactured
substance that can cause severe harm or death if
ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin
5.
Toxicity – the degree to which a substance is
poisonous or can cause injury
6.
Toxin – a poisonous substance naturally produced
by certain plants, animals, and bacteria that is
capable of causing disease or death in humans; a
subgroup of poisons
Toxicology
The study of poisons and identification of
drugs and other substances a person may
use for medicinal, recreational, or criminal
purposes
Methods of exposure:
1. Ingestion through gastrointestinal system
2. Inhalation into lungs
3. Injection into bloodstream
4. Absorption through skin
Toxicity
Depends on many factors
The dose – how much taken
The duration – frequency and length of
exposure
Nature of exposure – ingested, inhaled,
absorbed
Whether drug or toxin interacts with other
substances in the body like alcohol or
prescription drugs
Many drugs indirectly toxic – substance that
the drug is converted to or metabolizes to in
the body is harmful
Forensic Toxicology
Helps determine cause-and-effect
relationship between exposure to drug and
the toxic or lethal effects from that exposure
Determined by chemical tests on:
Body fluids
Stomach contents
Skin
Hair
Internal organs – liver, vitreous humor fluid
of eye
Forensic Toxicology
Toxic
agents other than drugs:
Heavy
metals
Solvents
and vapors
Radiation
and radioactive materials
Dioxins/furans
Pesticides
Plant
and animal toxins
Toxins
Also classified by how people are exposed to
them:
1.
Intentionally – drugs taken to treat illness or
relieve pain
2.
Accidentally – ingested or exposed, as in
unintentional overdoses or harmful
combinations
3.
Deliberately – suicide or exposure intended
to harm or kill others
Murder by Poison
Less than ½ of 1% of all homicides
Commonly used poisons:
Arsenic,
cyanide, strychnine
Also industrial chemicals created for other uses
Acute poisoning – caused by high dose over
a short period of time which immediately
produces symptoms
Cyanide
ingestion or inhalation
Chronic poisoning – caused by lower doses
over long periods of time, which produces
symptoms gradually
Mercury
or lead poisoning (mad hatter)
Accidental Drug Overdoses
More common than
death from poisoning
Chris Farley
John Belushi
River Pheonix
Jimi Hendrix
Cory Monteith
Whitney Houston
Amy Winehouse
O.D.B
Jim
Morrison
Drugs
Illegal
drugs – heroin, LSD
Not accepted for medical use in U.S.
Controlled substances
Medications, narcotics, depressants,
stimulants
Drugs: Controlled Substances
Five classes:
1.
Hallucinogens
2.
Narcotics
3.
Stimulants
4.
Anabolic steroids
5.
Depressants
Hallucinogens
Affect user’s perceptions, thinking, selfawareness, and emotions
Plant derived:
Mescaline
from a cactus, Marijuana, Mushrooms
Chemically manufactured:
LSD,
MDMA (ecstacy), PCP
Narcotics
Reduce pain by suppressing the central
nervous system’s ability to relay pain
messages to the brain
Very habit forming
Opium and derivatives: heroin & codeine
Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab)
Methadone (Dolophine)
Morphine (MS Contin)
Oxycodone (Percocet, OxyContin)
Codeine containing – Tylenol 3
Stimulants
Increase feeling of energy & alertness while
suppressing appetite (caffeine, diet pills)
Depression
off
often results when drug wears
Sometimes
used to boost endurance and
productivity
Examples:
Amphetamines (speed), methamphetamines (stronger),
and cocaine (including crack)
Highly addictive
Anabolic Steroids
Promote cell and tissue growth and division
Produced in lab and have chemical
structure similar to testosterone
Originally
produced to treat hypogonadism
Now used to treat delayed puberty, impotence,
muscle wasting caused by HIV
Also increase body muscle and bone mass
Negative effects:
Mild
– acne, increased body hair, baldness
Severe – high BP & cholesterol, impaired fertility in
males, blood clotting, kidney and liver cancers,
heart attacks
Depressants
Relieve anxiety and produce sleep
Reduce body functions, such as heart rate, by
acting on CNS
Drugs
like barbiturates & benzodiazepines
(valium)
Side effects:
slurred
speech, loss of coordination, state of
intoxication
Overdose:
Slow
heart rate & breathing, come and death
Mixed w/ alcohol and other drugs increases risks
Alcohols
All are toxic to the body
Accumulation
in blood may produce:
Dehydration,
Chronic
Can
Brain:
headache, nausea, weakness
abuse – liver damage
also depress central nervous system
interferes with the brain’s communication
pathways, can change mood and behavior, and
make it harder to think clearly and move with
coordination.
Alcohols
Heart:
Stretching
and drooping of heart muscle
Irregular heart beat
Stroke
High blood pressure
Liver:
Steatosis,
or fatty liver
Alcoholic hepatitis
Fibrosis
Cirrhosis
Alcohols
Pancreas
Build
up of toxic substances leading to
pancreatitis
Cancer
Increase
risk of certain cancers:
Mouth,
Esophagus, Throat, Liver, Breast
Immune system
weaken
your immune system, making your body a
much easier target for disease
tuberculosis, and weaken to
warding off infections.
Pneumonia,
Other Toxins
Organic Toxins – produced by living
organisms
interfere
with that organism’s metabolism
Absorbed
through intestine or skin
Venom – secreted toxin from an animal
(i.e.
bee sting, snakebite)
Other Toxins
Bacterial:
Botulism
– most poisonous biological substance
known to humans
neurotoxin paralyzing muscles
Extremely deadly in small amounts, can be
avoided by cooking and heating food
thoroughly
Purified
botulinum toxin – can treat muscle
spasms, eye conditions, excessive sweating,
headaches, promote wound healing, cosmetics
(botox)
Tetanus
– potentially deadly nervous system
disease “lock jaw”
Other Toxins
Pesticides
used for controlling insects, mice, weeds, fungi, bacteria,
viruses that threaten plants or food crops
Toxic and can cause severe illness and death
Examples: DDT, aldrin, dieldrin
Heavy Metals
Enter body by ingestion and inhalation, or by absorption
Stored in soft tissues of body and can damage many
organs
hydrogen cyanide (gas chambers), carbon monoxide
(car exhausts), potassium chloride & sodium pentothal
(lethal injections), mercury (The Madhatter)
Other Toxins
Bioterrorism Agents
Ricin
– cator bean / waste of castor oil
lethal to humans in small quantities
Inhaled
as a mist or powder, ingested in food
or drink, injected into body
Prevents
cells from making necessary proteins
causing cell death
Inhalation
Ingestion
- death after 8 hours
- death after 6 hours
Other Toxins
Bioterrorism cont…
Anthrax
Forms endospores
Inhalation
Ingestion
Skin
results in death
– 25-60 percent fatal
absorption – 20 percent untreated fatal
2001-
spread through postal system and caused 22
cases (12 deaths)