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Forensics > Toxicology > Flashcards

Toxicology Flashcards

1
Q

Toxicology

A

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

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2
Q

environmental toxins are found in

A

air, water, soil

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3
Q

consumer toxins are found in

A

food, cosmetics, drugs

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4
Q

POisons

A

chemicals that can injure or impair body functions

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5
Q

Venoms

A

substances injected by one species into another

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6
Q

Toxins

A

mostly described as drugs produced by microorganisms

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7
Q

venoms and toxins are mostly ______ or _____

A

proteins or polypeptides

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8
Q

what are alkaloids?

A

drugs of plant origin

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9
Q

many venoms and toxins are _____ (origin)

A

alkaloids

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10
Q

How long has poison been used

A

6500+ years

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11
Q

Where was poison the favorite method of assassination

A

Roman empire

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12
Q

Is intentional poisoning more or less common in the modern era

A

less common

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13
Q

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

A

Russia

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14
Q

Acute

A

single exposure or multiple exposures in a short period of time

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15
Q

chronic

A

long-term exposure, patient becomes gradually ill

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16
Q

Factors affecting poison

A

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

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17
Q

Toxic substances may be:

A

COD, contribute to death, impair, explain behavior

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18
Q

What are the classes of poison

A

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

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19
Q

What is carbon monoxide poisoning

A

occurs when you inhale too much CO

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20
Q

Why is CO difficult to detect

A

colorless, odorless, tasteless

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21
Q

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

A

3 minutes

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22
Q

Why is lead dangerous

A

interferes nervous system development

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23
Q

what can lead poisoning in children lead to

A

learning and behavioral disorders

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24
Q

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

A

sensory impairment, disturbed sensation, lack of coordination

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25
Q

cause of mercury poisoning

A

fish ingestion

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26
Q

What is arsenic poisoning caused by

A

ingestion of groundwater with arsenic in it

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27
Q

symptoms of arsenic poisoning

A

fingernail pigmentation changes and convulsions

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28
Q

Thallium and polonium are both _______ elements

A

radioactive

29
Q

How can cyanide enter the body

A

inhalation, ingestion, or direct skin contact

30
Q

Where is cyanide most commonly used

A

executions

31
Q

What does cyanide damage

A

internal workings of the cell

32
Q

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

A

blood is a bright cherry red

33
Q

WHat is strynchnine

A

plant based rat poison

34
Q

Why is strychnine hard to disguise

A

extremely bitter taste

35
Q

Why is strychnine not typical in suicides

A

extremely painful

36
Q

What does strychnine cause

A

convulsions

37
Q

How does someone die when they ingestion strychnine

A

asphyxia

38
Q

in the context of strychnine, rigor mortis is ____

A

quick

39
Q

Where is Ricin found

A

seeds of castor oil plant

40
Q

How much Ricin does it take to kill an adult human

A

just a few grains

41
Q

How does pesticide poisoning occur

A

when pesticide interferes with organisms not targeted

42
Q

examples of common household poisons

A

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

43
Q

Examples of fatal poisonous plants

A

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

44
Q

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

A

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

45
Q

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

A

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

46
Q

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

A

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

47
Q

Intoxicant

A

Requires that you ingest a large amount to be lethal

48
Q

What are some examples of intoxicants

A

alcohol, CO

49
Q

Is CO an intoxicant or a poison

A

Intoxicant

50
Q

Poison

A

Requires only a very small amount to kill

51
Q

Who is involved in the report of how someone died?

A

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

52
Q

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

A

fluids and tissue samples

53
Q

Where are ingested toxins found (decedent)?

A

Stomach, intestines, or liver

54
Q

Where are inhaled gases found (decedent)?

A

Concentrated in lungs

55
Q

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

A

concentrations around the injection site

56
Q

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

A

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

57
Q

intravenous

A

Absorbed directly into the blood bypassing the stomach and liver

58
Q

What are the best tissues to sample for poisons?

A

Blood, urine, stomach contents

59
Q

What is the most useful place to look for toxins?

A

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

60
Q

Why is urine useful to look for toxins

A

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

61
Q

Why are stomach contents useful to look for toxins

A

digestion stops at the moment of death

62
Q

Biotransformation

A

Instantaneously breaking something down into metabolites

63
Q

metabolites

A

building blocks of something that was ingested into the body

64
Q

Best tissues to sample for proteins

A

liver, vitreous humor, hair, insects

65
Q

Why is liver good to look for toxins

A

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

66
Q

Why is the vitreous humor good to look for toxins

A

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

67
Q

Why is hair good to look for toxins

A

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

68
Q

Why are insects good for looking for toxins

A

bioaccumulation occurs when they feed off of decomposed bodies

69
Q
A

Forensics (5 decks)

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