By Kaitlin Cassity
Paracelsus (1493-1541)
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During the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, Viktor Yushchenko announced his
decision to run as an independent candidate against Prime Minister Viktor
Yanukovych.
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Upon becoming seriously ill, with his face pale and heavily disfigured, Viktor claimed
his illnesses were caused by actions taken by government officials.
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Austrian doctors confirmed the independent candidate was in fact poisoned with
TCDD dioxin, with more than 1000 times the usual dioxin concentration within his
body.
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Symptoms began after Yushchenko attended a dinner with leaders of the secret
Ukrainian police. Yushchenko began vomiting violently, eventually becoming
paralyzed within his face, unable to speak or read. He developed a severe backache
and stomachache as well, most significantly, developing a serious condition that left
his face scarred and disfigured.
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Dioxin, the name given to a group of related toxins which can cause cancer and even
death, was identified through thorough toxicological analysis. As a organic
compound, dioxin is known to cause reproductive and developmental problems as
well as extreme skin eruptions. From both screening and confirmation testing and
observing Yushchenko’s symptoms and concentrations of the substance within his
body, toxicologists were able to identify the harmful substance.
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Investigations held by the Ukrainian Security Service and Prosecutor-General’s
Office are still underway, with no definite results. Nevertheless, the identifying of the
proper substance and how it was administered to the victim, is crucial in identifying
the proper criminal. Investigators continue to utilize toxicological analyses to link
other significant factors of the case, specifically the location, time, probable
suspects etc. together.
 Forensic toxicology is the analysis of
alcohol, drugs, and poisons in body
fluids, in the hope to produce results
beneficial to courts of law.
Toxicologists study the “adverse
effects of chemicals on living
organisms.” (www.apsu.edu) Foreign
chemicals are detected in the human
body and identified.
 Toxicologists perform an array of
tasks and may specialize in a variety
of areas, specifically descriptive
toxicology, mechanistic toxicology,
and regulatory toxicology.
 Forensic toxicologists are most simply physicians who utilize chemical
analysis and apply it to an investigation of criminal poisoning.
Toxicologists must be familiar in biochemistry, physiology,
pharmacology, chemistry, and pathology.
 Toxicologists study the context of an investigation and determine if and
what toxic substances are present, the concentrations of those
substances, and the possible effects of those chemicals upon the
human body.
 Toxins, materials that yield life-threatening effects, are difficult to
determine within the body. Thus, toxicologists conduct specific tests in
hope of accurately classifying the substance. Tests include preliminary
acid-base procedures, screening tests, and confirmation tests.
 Toxicologists pay close
attention to the dose-response
relationship, which describes
the change in effect within an
organism as levels of exposure
to a stressor (chemical) differ.
Dose-response relationships
can apply to both individuals
as well as populations. In the
studying of dose response,
forensic toxicologists are able
to determine “safe” versus
“hazardous” levels of
substances in relation to the
human body.
The degree to which a substance is poisonous or can cause injury depends on the dose,
the duration, the nature of the exposure, and the substances interactions with other
chemicals within the body.
 Toxins include controlled substances, organic toxins, alcohols, bacterial toxins, heavy
metals and pesticides, and bioterrorism agents. Controlled substances include narcotics,
stimulants, anabolic steroids, and depressants.
 Persons can become exposed to toxic substances intentionally, accidentally, and
deliberately.
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Most Frequently
Reported Poisons
Most Frequent Deaths
by Poisoning
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1. Household cleaning supplies
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1. Antidepressant medications
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2. Analgesics (aspirin)
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2. Analgesics (aspirin)
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3. Cosmetics
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3. Street drugs
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4. Cough and Cold Remedies
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4. Cardiovascular drugs
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5. Plant scrapes/insect bites
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5. Alcohol
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6. Pesticides
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6. Gases and fumes
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7. Topical creams and lotions
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7. Asthma therapies
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8. Hydrocarbons (gasoline, kerosene)
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8. Industrial Chemicals
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9. Anti-microbacterial soaps
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9. Pesticides
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10. Sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics
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10. Household cleaning supplies
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11. Food poisoning
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11. Anticonvulsant medications
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12. Alcohol
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12. Food, plants, and insects
 Initially, the forensic toxicologist is given
samples of body fluids, stomach contents,
and organ parts. With access to a
coroner’s report, the toxicologist is able to
observe various symptoms of the corpse.
Specimens of the drug are divided into
fractions, acidic and basic.
 The specific tissue or fluid sample is then
classified as a drug sample and is
screened and confirmed through a series
of tests. Screening tests process
specimens for a wide range of toxins in a
short period of time. Positive results of
screening tests must be proven accurate
by a confirmation test.
 Screening tests aid in determining a
specific type of toxin within the
body. Tests include:
 Physical tests-boiling point, melting
point, density, and refractive index
 Crystal tests-treatment with
chemical reagent to produce crystals
 Chemical spot tests-treatment with
a chemical reagent to produce color
changes
 Chromatography- (thin layer of gas
created): components of mixture are
separated
 Mass Spectrometry- Each toxin
has a known mass spectra or
“fingerprint,” which is infallible
proof of its presence within the
human body. By observing the
results of the screening tests,
toxicologists are able to
determine what type of
substance is present.
 Drug overdoses as well as
alcoholic poisoning cases are
most complex for forensic
toxicologists, thus Drug
Recognition Experts and other
professionals evaluate alcohol
intoxication measurements.
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Acids (nitric, hydrochloric, sulphuric): Burns around
mouth, lips, nose
Aniline (hypnotics, nitrobenzene): Skin of face and
neck quite dark
Arsenic (metals, mercury, copper, etc.): Severe,
unexplained diarrhea
Atropine (Belladonna), Scopolamine: Pupil of eye
dilated
Bases (lye, potash, hydroxides): Burns around mouth,
lips, nose
Carbolic acid (or other phenol): Odor of disinfectant
Carbon monoxide:
Skin is bright cherry red
Cyanide: Quick death, red skin, odor of peach
Food poisoning: Vomiting, abdominal pain
Metallic compounds: Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal
pain
Nicotine: Convulsion
Opiates: Pupil of eye contracted
Oxalic acid (phosphorous): Odor of garlic
Sodium fluoride: Convulsion
Strychnine : Convulsion, dark face and neck
With thirty years of experience in forensic
toxicology and clinical laboratory science, Dr.
Barbor has contributed to 200 Justice,
Municipal, Superior, and U.S. District court
cases.
 Dr. Barbor provides drug and alcohol testing
in service of the courts. “Our work is
primarily for coroners and the police, with
some for defense attorneys and other clients.”
 Dr. Barbor feels as though his job, although
not “infrequently, can help society at large as
well as individuals. Sometimes I can help to
prove, right, or ameliorate injustice, which I
can feel good about for a very long time.”
 The job is described as not always easy as the
“hours can be long.” However, Barbour feels
that it is merely a matter of choice, living by
the words, “more people rust out than wear
out.” The least enjoyable element of his job
involves cleaning “up the mess when
coroner’s offices send us leaking,
inadequately packaged, fermenting samples.”
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 Dr. Barbor started out his college career as a Chemistry major, enjoying
organic chemistry. He states he wanted to do something “socially
useful, to live in my native state and make use of my education in some
way.” From the help of a PhD chemist, Barbor followed his mentor into
medical laboratory technology. He continued gaining qualifications
and experience and eventually was introduced to forensic toxicology
labs, which were often divisions of medical labs. He currently works in
both fields, “although the proportion varies.”
General Qualifications Necessary
 Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or a related field
 Expert in analytical chemistry
 Practical experience in a forensic toxicology laboratory
 Master’s degree/ PhD in one of the natural sciences not always
necessary
 American Board of Forensic Toxicology certification
 Toxicologists can provide their skills to a
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multitude of organizations. Some of the
most common agencies are listed below.
Food and Drug Administration:
Responsible for regulation drugs,
medical devices, cosmetics, and
acceptable daily intake of food additives.
Environmental Protection Agency:
Regulates pesticides, toxic chemicals,
hazardous wastes and toxic pollutants
in water and air.
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration asks toxicologists to
determine if chemicals in the workplace
air is below threshold limit value.
Consumer Products Safety Commission
 http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/ukraine/
 http://www.apsu.edu/
 http://home.lightspeed.net/~abarbour/cv.htm
 http://www.soft-tox.org/
 http://www.tiaft.org/
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicology
 http://www.guardian.co.uk
 Bertino, Anthony. Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations; Chapter 9:
Drug Identification and Toxicology (p250-262).