Toxicology

Question 1

Toxicology

Answer 1

the study of the adverse effects of chemicals or physical agents on living organisms

Question 2

environmental toxins are found in

Answer 2

air, water, soil

Question 3

consumer toxins are found in

Answer 3

food, cosmetics, drugs

Question 4

POisons

Answer 4

chemicals that can injure or impair body functions

Question 5

Venoms

Answer 5

substances injected by one species into another

Question 6

Toxins

Answer 6

mostly described as drugs produced by microorganisms

Question 7

venoms and toxins are mostly ______ or _____

Answer 7

proteins or polypeptides

Question 8

what are alkaloids?

Answer 8

drugs of plant origin

Question 9

many venoms and toxins are _____ (origin)

Answer 9

alkaloids

Question 10

How long has poison been used

Answer 10

6500+ years

Question 11

Where was poison the favorite method of assassination

Answer 11

Roman empire

Question 12

Is intentional poisoning more or less common in the modern era

Answer 12

less common

Question 13

Where is poison more oftentimes seen (assassination weapon, modern times)

Answer 13

Russia

Question 14

Acute

Answer 14

single exposure or multiple exposures in a short period of time

Question 15

chronic

Answer 15

long-term exposure, patient becomes gradually ill

Question 16

Factors affecting poison

Answer 16

dose, concentration, rate of administration, tolerance, age, route of absorption, state, health, idiosyncrasy, cumulative effect

Question 17

Toxic substances may be:

Answer 17

COD, contribute to death, impair, explain behavior

Question 18

What are the classes of poison

Answer 18

gas, inorganic poison, heavy metals, corrosives, alkaloidial poison, non alkaloidial poisons

Question 19

What is carbon monoxide poisoning

Answer 19

occurs when you inhale too much CO

Question 20

Why is CO difficult to detect

Answer 20

colorless, odorless, tasteless

Question 21

How long does it take for someone to die at 1% CO concentration

Answer 21

3 minutes

Question 22

Why is lead dangerous

Answer 22

interferes nervous system development

Question 23

what can lead poisoning in children lead to

Answer 23

learning and behavioral disorders

Question 24

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

Answer 24

sensory impairment, disturbed sensation, lack of coordination

Question 25

cause of mercury poisoning

Answer 25

fish ingestion

Question 26

What is arsenic poisoning caused by

Answer 26

ingestion of groundwater with arsenic in it

Question 27

symptoms of arsenic poisoning

Answer 27

fingernail pigmentation changes and convulsions

Question 28

Thallium and polonium are both _______ elements

Answer 28

radioactive

Question 29

How can cyanide enter the body

Answer 29

inhalation, ingestion, or direct skin contact

Question 30

Where is cyanide most commonly used

Answer 30

executions

Question 31

What does cyanide damage

Answer 31

internal workings of the cell

Question 32

How would an ME be able to tell if the COD was cyanide?

Answer 32

blood is a bright cherry red

Question 33

WHat is strynchnine

Answer 33

plant based rat poison

Question 34

Why is strychnine hard to disguise

Answer 34

extremely bitter taste

Question 35

Why is strychnine not typical in suicides

Answer 35

extremely painful

Question 36

What does strychnine cause

Answer 36

convulsions

Question 37

How does someone die when they ingestion strychnine

Answer 37

asphyxia

Question 38

in the context of strychnine, rigor mortis is ____

Answer 38

quick

Question 39

Where is Ricin found

Answer 39

seeds of castor oil plant

Question 40

How much Ricin does it take to kill an adult human

Answer 40

just a few grains

Question 41

How does pesticide poisoning occur

Answer 41

when pesticide interferes with organisms not targeted

Question 42

examples of common household poisons

Answer 42

bleach, dish soap, antifreeze, laundry detergent, drain openers, oven cleaners, pain relievers

Question 43

Examples of fatal poisonous plants

Answer 43

nightshades, hemlock, oleander, yew, curare, mistletoe, mushrooms

Question 44

What do you need in order to prove an intentional poisoning case?

Answer 44

crime was committed, motive, intent, access to poison, access to victim, homicidal death, death caused by poison

Question 45

What does the degree of toxicity of any substance depend on?

Answer 45

Depends on how much enters your body and over what period (Dosage)

Question 46

What are the 3 questions that a forensic toxicologist will ask when investigating a case?

Answer 46

"Were they under influence", "Has this person been making drugs", "Was it a toxin that killed a person"

Question 47

Intoxicant

Answer 47

Requires that you ingest a large amount to be lethal

Question 48

What are some examples of intoxicants

Answer 48

alcohol, CO

Question 49

Is CO an intoxicant or a poison

Answer 49

Intoxicant

Question 50

Poison

Answer 50

Requires only a very small amount to kill

Question 51

Who is involved in the report of how someone died?

Answer 51

Medical examiner finds out how, but a toxicology report is required as well

Question 52

Where are poisons found (in the body) in a medical examination

Answer 52

fluids and tissue samples

Question 53

Where are ingested toxins found (decedent)?

Answer 53

Stomach, intestines, or liver

Question 54

Where are inhaled gases found (decedent)?

Answer 54

Concentrated in lungs

Question 55

Where are toxins injected into muscle (intramuscularly) found (in a decedent)?

Answer 55

concentrations around the injection site

Question 56

Where are drugs that are given intravenously found (in a decedent)?

Answer 56

throughout the body, low in stomach + liver and high in the bloodstream

Question 57

intra**ven**ous

Answer 57

Absorbed directly into the blood bypassing the stomach and liver

Question 58

What are the best tissues to sample for poisons?

Answer 58

Blood, urine, stomach contents

Question 59

What is the most useful place to look for toxins?

Answer 59

Blood shows chemicals + its metabolites, blood levels show what was going on at TOD

Question 60

Why is urine useful to look for toxins

Answer 60

easy to obtain, high concentrations will be found if taken due to kidneys filtering toxins

Question 61

Why are stomach contents useful to look for toxins

Answer 61

digestion stops at the moment of death

Question 62

Biotransformation

Answer 62

Instantaneously breaking something down into metabolites

Question 63

metabolites

Answer 63

building blocks of something that was ingested into the body

Question 64

Best tissues to sample for proteins

Answer 64

liver, vitreous humor, hair, insects

Question 65

Why is liver good to look for toxins

Answer 65

it's a toxin sponge and can reflect levels of toxins that blood might not reveal

Question 66

Why is the vitreous humor good to look for toxins

Answer 66

(eyeball fluid) very slow to decay, retains toxins longer than other organs

Question 67

Why is hair good to look for toxins

Answer 67

chemicals take about 5 days to show up in the core of a hair shaft (timeline)

Question 68

Why are insects good for looking for toxins

Answer 68

bioaccumulation occurs when they feed off of decomposed bodies