Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology
The root bulb
Forensic chemistry - is the application of chemistry to
criminal investigation. Focuses on the chemical analysis
of substances connected to a crime.
Forensic Science - is the use of science and
technology to enforce civil and criminal laws.
Blood - a specialized body fluid that circulates in the
arteries and veins of vertebrate animals, carrying
oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues.
Semen - the male reproductive fluid containing
spermatozoa in suspension.
Moulage - is the art of applying mock injuries for the
purpose of training emergency response teams and
other medical and military personnel.
Methods of Identifying Unknown Substance
1. Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer - useful
method for the simultaneous separation,
identification and quantization of one or more
individual components of an unknown substance or
mixture.
2. Spectroscopy - is the study of the interaction
between matter and radiated energy.
Spectrophotometer - instrument used to aide in the
identification of compound.
Gas Chromatograph - a chemical analyzer and
instrument for separating chemicals in a complex
sample.
Mass Spectrometry - is the analytical technique that
measures the mass to charge ratio of charged particles.
It is used for determining masses of particles.
Amino Acid - the building blocks of protein coded by
triplets of bases of DNA blue print.
Ammonia - a colorless gaseous alkaline compound that
is very soluble in water, has characteristics of pungent
odor, is lighter than air and is formed as a result of the
decomposition of most nitrogenous organic material
such as tissue from dead bodies.
Anemia - any condition in which the number of red
blood cells, the amount of hemoglobin and the volume
of packed red blood cells per 100 ml of blood are less
than normal. It may result from increased destruction of
red cells, excessive blood loss or decreased production
of red cells.
Aplasia - failure of an organ or tissue to develop
normally.
Autolysis - the destruction of cells after death due to
lack of ability to metabolize oxygen needed by enzymes
for cell activity.
Hair - any of the fine threadlike strands growing from
the skin of humans, mammals, and some other animals.
What are the 3 stages of hair growth?
1. Anagen phase - the growth phase. It begins in
the papilla and can last up to 8 years. The span at
which the hair remains in this stage is determined by
genetics. The longer the hair stays in the anagen
phase, the faster and longer it will grow. About 85%
of the hair on one's head are in this stage at any
given time. The hair has a follicular tag.
is flamed shaped.
2. Catagen Phase - also known as the transitional
phase, allows the follicle to renew itself. During this
time which last about 2 week, the hair follicle shrinks
due to disintegration and the papilla detaches and
rests, cutting the hair strand off from its nourishing
blood supply while hair is not growing during this
phase. The length of the terminal fibers increase
when the follicle pushes them upward. The root is
elongated.
3. Telogen phase - or resting phase, the hair and
follicle remain dormant anywhere from 1 to 4
months,10% to 15% of the hairs in one's head are
in these phase in any given time. The anagen phase
begins again when this phase is complete. The root
is club shaped.
Shedding - the process of normal hair loss.
Alopecia - a hair loss disease that causes the hair to
spontaneously fall out. It is mainly characterized by bald
patches on the scalp or other parts of the body and can
ultimately cause baldness across the entire body.
Medulla - inner most layer of the hair shaft.
From which part of the body are most often used
for hair comparison? Either head or pubic.
How to determine the likely race of the person
from which a hair originated?
1. Caucasian - evenly distributed, fine pigmentation
Wavy with round cross section.
2. Mongoloid - Continuous medullation.
3. Negroid - dense, uneven pigmentation.
Rate of speed of hair growth - 1.25 cm or .05 inches
per month or about 6 inches or 15 cm. per year.
What aspect of the hair is the criminalist
interested in matching?
1. matching color
2. Length
3. Diameter
4. presence or absence of medulla
5. distribution, shape, and color intensity of the
pigment granules in the cortex.
What types of evidence found at the crime scene
are most likely to provide evidence? Forcible
removed hair is most likely to provide useful DNA
evidence because they often bear follicular tags that are
sources of nuclear DNA.
Hair from different parts of the body vary significantly in
its physical characteristics.
Forensic Toxicology - deals with the medical and legal
aspects of the harmful effects of chemicals on human
beings.
Forensic - comes from the Latin word "forensis"
meaning forum.
Toxicology - from the Greek word toxicos - "poisonous"
and "logos".
- it is the study of the symptoms,
mechanisms and treatments and detection of poisoning.
Poison - a substance that when introduced into or
absorbed by a living organism causes death or injury.
 Toxin - an antigenic poison or venom of plant or animal 2. Considered the father of microscopic forensics.
origin especially one produced by or derived from A. Albert Osborne
microorganisms and causing disease when present at B. Walker Mc Crone
low concentration in the body. C. Hans Gross
- poisonous substance produced during the D. Edmond Locard
metabolism and growth of certain microorganism and
some higher plant and animal species. 3. Considered the father of forensic publications.
A. Albert Osborne
Venom - poisonous fluid secreted by animals and B. Walker Mc Crone
typically injected into prey by biting or stinging or other C. Hans Gross
sharp body feature. D. Edmond Locard

Acute Poisoning - is exposure to poison on one 4. The Father of Document Examination.

occasion or during a short period of time. A. Albert Osborne
B. Walker Mc Crone
Chronic Poisoning - is long term repeated or C. Hans Gross
continuous exposure to a poison where symptoms do D. Edmond Locard
not occur immediately or after each exposure.
5. The Father of Bloodstain Identification.
Antidote - a medicine taken or given to counter act a A. Calvin Goddard
particular poison. B. Leone Lattes
- a substance which can counteract poisoning. C. Francis Galton
D. Alphonse Bertillon
Mathieu Orfila - is considered to be the modern father
of toxicology, having given the subject its first formal 6. The Father of Anthropometry.
treatment in 1813 in his "traite des poisons" also called A. Calvin Goddard
toxicologie generali. B. Leone Lattes
C. Francis Galton
Dioscorides - a Greek physician in the court of Roman D. Alphonse Bertillon
emperor Nero, made the first attempt to classify plants 7.
according to their toxic and therapeutic effect. The Father of Fingerprinting.
A. Calvin Goddard
Jean Stas - a belgian analytical chemist who in 1850 B. Leone Lattes
gave the evidence that the Belgian count Hypolite Visart C. Francis Galton
de Bocarme killed his brother in law by poisoning with D. Alphonse Bertillon
nicotine. 8
. The father of Toxicology.
Celsus - a roman physician from the first century, A. Mathiew Orfila
considered the father of toxicology. He is credited with B. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
the toxicology maxim "all things are poison and nothing C. Hans Gross
is without poison. This is often condensed to "the dose D. Walter Mc Crone
makes the poison" or in latin "sola dosis facit venenum".
9. Popularized Scientific Crime Detection methods
Paracelsus - "Theophrastus Phillipus Aureleus through his fictional character Sherlocke Holmes.
Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541) - believe that A. Mathiew Orfila
his studies were above and beyond the work of celsus. B. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
C. Hans Gross
LD50 - is the dose required to kill half the members of D. Sir William Herscel
a tested population after a specified test duration.
10.The Application of Scientific Techniques in collecting
Dose - a quantity of medicine or drug taken or and analyzing physical evidence in criminal cases.
recommended to be taken at a particular time. A. Ballistics
B. Criminalistics
Overdose - the ingestion or application of a drug or C. Forensics
other substance in quantities greater than are D. Criminal Investigation
recommended.
Remember The Following:
Carcinogen - any substance capable of causing cancer
in living tissue. 1. Edmond Locard - Considered the father of the crime
laboratory.
Corrosive substance - is one that will destroy or 2. Walker Mc Crone - Considered the father of
irreversibly damage another surface or substance with microscopic forensics.
which it comes into contact. 3. Hans Gross - Considered the father of forensic
publications.
Forensic Chemistry Reviewer 1 4. Albert Osborne - The Father of Document
Examination.
5. Leone Lattes - The Father of Bloodstain
1. Considered the father of the crime laboratory.
Identification.
A. Albert Osborne
6. Alphonse Bertillon - The Father of Anthropometry.
B. Walker Mc Crone
7. Francis Galton - The Father of Fingerprinting.
C. Hans Gross
8. Mathiew Orfila - The father of Toxicology.
D. Edmond Locard.
9. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Popularized Scientific
Crime Detection methods through his fictional character
 Sherlocke Holmes. Singly in males and doubly in females.
10.Criminalistics - The Application of Scientific A. Zygote
Techniques in collecting and analyzing physical evidence B. X chromosome
in criminal cases. C. Gamete
D. Y chromosome
Answers: Forensic Chemistry 9.
1. D The sex chromosome that is carried by men.
2. B
A. Zygote
3. C
B. X chromosome
4. A
5. B C. Gamete
6. D D. Y chromosome
7. C 1
8. A 0. Father of micro biology and considered to be the first
9. B microbiologists.
10. B A. Antonie Philips Van Leeuwenhoek
Forensic Chemistry Reviewer 2 B. Bridgett Bardot
C. Andy Warhol
1. Is an organic fluid that may contain spermatozoa. D. Emma Stone
A. Blood
B. Urine Remember the Following:
C. Semen
D. Saliva 1.Semen - Is an organic fluid that may contain
spermatozoa.
2.The mature motile male sex cell of a male organism - the male reproductive fluid containing
by which the ovum is fertilized, typically having a spermatozoa in suspension.
compact head and one or more long flagella for
swimming. 2. Spermatozoa - The mature motile male sex cell of a
A. Spermatozoa male organism by which the ovum is fertilized, typically
B. Protozoa having a compact head and one or more long flagella for
C. Plagella swimming.
D. Semen
3 3. Plagella - A slender thread like structure especially a
. A slender thread like structure especially a microscopic microscopic whip-like appendage that enables many
whiplike appendage that enables many protozoa, protozoa, bacteria, spermatozoa to swim.
bacteria, spermatozoa to swim
A. Spermatozoa 4. Protozoa - A phylum or group of phyla that
B. Protozoa comprises the single celled microscopic animals which
C. Plagella includes amebas, flagellates, ciliates, spocozoans and
D. Semen. many other forms.
4
. A phylum or group of phyla that comprises the single 5. Sperm cell - The haploid cell that is the male
celled microscopic animals which includes amebas, gamete.
flagellates, ciliates, spocozoans and many other forms. - the male reproductive cell.
A. Spermatozoa 6. Embryo - An unborn or unhatched offspring in the
B. Protozoa process of development.
C. Plagella - An unborn human baby especially in the
D. Semen first 8 weeks from conception, after implantation but
5. before all organs are developed.
The haploid cell that is the male gamete.
A. Spermatozoa 7. Zygote - A single cell with a complete set of
B. Protozoa chromosomes that normally develops into an embryo.
C. Sperm Cell
D. Semen 8. X chromosome - The sex chromosome that is
present in both sexes. Singly in males and doubly in
6. An unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of
females. Human females normally have two X
development.
chromosomes.
A. Zygote
B. Gamete
9.Y chromosome - The sex chromosome that is carried
C. Embryo
by men. Human males normally have one X
D. Sperm
chromosome and one Y chromosome.

7. A single cell with a complete set of chromosomes

10.Antonie Philips Van Leeuwenhoek - Father of
that normally develops into an embryo.
micro biology and considered to be the first
A. Zygote
microbiologists.
B. Gamete
C. Embryo
Answers: Forensic Chemistry
D. Sperm

8. The sex chromosome that is present in both sexes.

 1. C D. Mercury
2. A 9. He was a F
3. C A. Joseph Lister
4. B B. Jean Louis Petit
5. B C. Pierre Tourniquet
6. C D. Peter Norton
7. A 10.A British s
8. B A. Joseph Lister
9. D B. Jean Louis Petit
10. A C. Pierre Tourniquet
D. Peter Norton
Forensic Toxicology Reviewer 1
Remember the Following:
1. A substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism, causes death or
A. Tetanus
1. Poison - A substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a
B. Venom
C. Toxin
2. Toxin - An antigenic poison or venom of plant or animal origin esp
D. Poison
2. An antigenic poison or venom of plant or animal origin especially one produced by
3. Venom - Poisonous fluid secreted by animals such as snakes and
A. Tetanus
B. Venom
4. Tetanus - A disease marked by rigidity and spasms of the volunta
C. Toxin
- The prolonged contraction of a muscle caused by rapi
D. Poison
3. Poisonous fluid secreted by animals such as snakes and scorpions and typically
5. Sting - A small sharp-pointed organ at the end of the abdomen of
A. Tetanus
B. Venom
6. Cyanide - A chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -
C. Toxin
D. Poison
7. Mercury - A chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic nu
4. A disease marked by rigidity and spasms of the voluntary muscles caused by the b
A. Tetanus
8. Corrosive - One that will destroy and damage other substances
B. Venom
C. Toxin
9. Jean Louis Petit - He was a French surgeon and the inventor of t
D. Poison
5. A small sharp-pointed organ at the end of the abdomen of bees, ants
10.Joseph Lister - A British surgeon and pioneer of antiseptic surge
A. Sting
B. Toxin
11.Antidote - is a substance which can counteract a form of poisonin
C. Venom
- a medicine given or taken to counteract a particular
D. Poison.
6. A chemical compound
Answers: that contains
Forensic the cyano group, -C=N which consists of
Toxicology
A. Cyanide
B.Mercury 1. D
C. Arsenic 2. C
D. Corrosive 3. B
7. A chemical element
4. A
A. Cyanide 5. A
B. Corrosive 6. A
C. Arsenic 7. D
D. Mercury 8. B
8.One that will destroy
9. Band damage other substances with which it comes contact
A. Cyanide 10. A
B. Corrosive
C. Arsenic