Law

Forensic Science & Forensic Medicine

Forensic Toxicology and Classification of Poisons
 Role Name Affiliation
Principal Investigator Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai Registrar, National Law
University Delhi
Co-Principal Investigator

Paper Coordinator Prof. (Dr) Sally Lukose Dean, School of Basic and
Applied Sciences, Galgotias
University, Greater Noida.
Content Writer/Author Dr. Mamta Assistant Professor, School
of Basic and Applied
Sciences, Galgotias
University, Greater Noida.
Content Reviewer
DESCRIPTION OF MODULE

Items Description of Module

Subject Name Law
Paper Name Forensic Science and Forensic Medicine
Module Forensic Toxicology and Classification of
Name/Title Poisons
Module Id LAW/CJA/VIII /9
Objectives Learning Outcome:

 To make the learners understand about the

concept of forensic toxicology.

 To make the learner aware about various

branches of toxicology such as analytical
toxicology, clinical toxicology, veterinary
toxicology, aquatic toxicology,
environmental toxicology etc.

 To make the learners understand how

poisons can be classified in various categories.

 To aware the learners about the mode of

action of different poisons.

Prerequisites To aware about the different branches of toxicology

and how the toxic compounds can be categorized
into different groups depending upon their
properties.
Key words Forensic toxicology, poison, corrosives, irritant,
asphyxiants, cerebral poison, cardiac poison, spinal
poison, peripheral poisons, metallic, non-metallic,
anions, animal poisons, vegetable poisons, volatile,
non-volatile, gaseous poisons, pesticides, drugs etc.
1. Introduction:

Toxicology is the study of adverse effects of chemical substances on biological

system due to their exposure. It includes study of mode of action, symptoms,
detection and treatments of toxic agent in biological system.

2. Branches of toxicology

There are various branches of toxicology i.e. analytical toxicology, clinical toxicology,
forensic toxicology, veterinary toxicology, aquatic toxicology, environmental toxicology,
etc. These branches have been summarised in following figure.

2.1. Analytical toxicology: Analytical toxicology is deals with evaluation of toxic

substance present in biological specimen as well as in raw form. Evaluation
involves detection, identification and quantification of poisons using various
analytical techniques1.

2.2. Clinical toxicology: Clinical toxicology is deals with diagnosis and

treatment of human poisoning.

2.3. Forensic toxicology: Forensic toxicology deals with the analysis of toxic
substances which involve various methods to study these poisonous substances
to aid the legal investigation to know the cause of poisoning. It is medico-legal
aspect of clinical poisoning2.

2.4. Veterinary toxicology: Veterinary toxicology is the specialised branch of

toxicology which deals with study, diagnosis and treatment of various toxic
compounds in animal kingdom3.

1.
R. J. Flanagan, A. Taylor, I. D. Watson, R. Whelpton, Fundamental of Analytical Toxicology, (John
Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2007).

2.
https://toxlearn.nlm.nih.gov/htmlversion/module1.html
3.
R.C. Gupta, Veterinary Toxicology Basic and Clinical Principles, Chapter 1, 1st edi., (Elsevier, 2007).
2.5. Aquatic toxicology: Aquatic toxicology deals with adverse effect caused by
toxic substance on aquatic system4.

2.6. Environmental toxicology: Environmental toxicology deals with the ill-

effects of environmental toxicants on human, animal, plants and the
environment. Environmental toxicants are the compounds which are released
into environment from various sources such as disposal from industries,
domestic disposal etc which may be degradable or non-degradable.

3. Poison

Poison is a substance which when administered, inhaled or swallowed by living

organism causes ill effects on the body. It is defined also as a medicine in a toxic
dose. Toxic substance may be solid, liquid, gas or any environmental agent.

3.1. Classification of poison

Poisons can be classified in various categories depending upon their (A) mode of
action and (B) physical state and (C) medicolegal classification (D) toxico-analytical
as follow:

(A) On the basis of mode of action: On the basis of mode of action poison can be
categorized into (i) Corrosive Poisons (ii) Irritant poisons, (iii) Neurotic
Poisons, (iv) Cardiac Poisons and (v) Asphyxiants.

(i) Corrosive Poisons: Corrosive poisons are the poisons which cause
inflammation at the site of contact. Both strong acids and alkalis are comes
under this category.

(a) Strong acids: Concentrated sulphuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid
(b) Strong bases: Sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and ammonium
hydroxide.
4
Mikko Nikinmaa, Aquatic Toxicology: An Introduction To Aquatic Toxicology, Chapter 1.
(Elsevier, 2014).
(ii) Irritant poisons: Irritants are those substances which cause irritation, pain,
excessive vomiting. These are further divided into (a) inorganic poisons, (b)
organic poisons and (c) mechanical poisons.

(a) Inorganic poisons: Inorganic poisons are consisted of:

Metallic – Lead, arsenic, mercury, antimony, copper and zinc etc.

Non Metallic - Chlorine, bromine and iodine etc.

(b) Organic Poisons: Organic poisons consist of poisons of both vegetable

origin and animal origin.

Animal poisons – Snakes venom, scorpion venom, spiders etc.

Vegetable poisons – Croton oil, castor oil etc.

(c. Mechanical Poisons: Mechanical poisons are the poisons which cause
irritation, perforation obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract. For example,
powder glass, diamond dust etc.

(iii) Neurotic Poisons: - Neurotic poisons are the poisons which affects the
different part of central nervous system such as cerebral poisons, spinal
poison, peripheral poisons etc. and these constitute of following poisons:

a. Cerebral Poisons –Alcohol, opium, barbiturates, benzodiazepines etc.

b. Spinal Poison – Strychnine.

c. Peripheral – Curare

(iv) Cardiac Poisons – Digitalis, tobacco.

(v) Asphyxiants – CO, CO2 etc5.

5
K Vij , Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology: Principles and Practice, Chapter 30 p. 429,
Basic Consideration in Drugs/Chemicals, 5th edn., (Elsevier, 2011).
 For e.g. Sulphuric acid, nitric acid,
Strong acid
hydrochloric acid etc.
Corrosive
Poisons
For e.g. Sodium hydroxide, potassium
Strong base
hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide etc.

For e.g. Lead, arsenic, mercury, antimony,

Metallic
copper and zinc etc
Inorganic
poison
Non-metallic For e.g. Chlorine, bromine and iodine etc.

Vegetable For e.g. Croton oil, castor oil etc.

Irritant poison
Organic Poison
For e.g. Snakes venom, scorpion venom,
Animal
Poisons spiders etc.

Mechanical
For e.g. Powder glass, diamond dust etc.
Poisons

Cerebral For e.g. Alcohol, Opium, barbiturates,

Poisons benzodiazepines etc.

Neurotic
Spinal Poison For e.g. Strychnine
Poisons

Cardiac Poisons Peripheral For e.g. Curare

Asphyxiants For e.g. CO, CO2 etc.

(B) On the basis of their physical state: Based on physical state, poisons can be
grouped into (i) solid poisons, (ii) liquid poisons and (iii) gaseous poisons.

(i) Solid poisons: Solid poisons don not get absorbed easily into the blood.
These should be dissolved properly in liquid to get absorbed. For example-
lead, arsenic, mercury etc.
(ii) Liquid poisons: Liquid poisons contain both organic and inorganic liquid.
Organic liquids are more volatile than inorganic liquids.

Liquid poison can be absorbed when administered orally or by inhalation or

through skin. As organic liquids are vaporises and organic vapours are
absorbed by lungs such as chloroform, acetone etc. and the organic vapours
which are soluble in lipids get easily absorbed through skin for e.g. furfural.

(iii) Gaseous poisons: Gaseous poisons are absorbed by inhalation such as

carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc.

In atmosphere, there are aerosols particles in air and these are either inhaled
or deposited on the skin. They causes marked effect on lungs when inhaled
during breathing and causes obstruction into the lungs (asbestos) in
comparison to those absorbed through skin. Fibres and dust are also the
examples of aerosols6.

6.
Toxicological Chemistry, LVIV–2009, Universitatis Medici Leopoliensis Sigillum.
AD 1784.
 Poisons

Solid Liquid Gaseous

Poisons Poisons Poisons

Organic Inorganic
liquid liquid

For e.g.
For e.g. liquid
For e.g. lead, ethanol, carbon dioxide,
ammonia,
arsenic, methanol, carbon
liquid sulfur
mercury etc. chloroform, monoxide etc.
dioxide etc
aceton etc.

(C) Medicolegal classification of poison: Based on intention behind the crime,

poisons are classified into (i): Homicidal poisons, (ii) Suicidal poisons, (iii)
Accidental poisons, (iv) Abortifacient poisons, (v) Stupefying agent/poisons,
(vi) Agents used to cause bodily injury (vii) Cattle Poison (viii) Used for
malingering.

(i) Homicidal poisons: The poisons which are used to kill the other person are
known as homicidal poisons such as aconite, abrus precatorius, strychnos
nux vomica etc.

(ii) Suicidal poisons: Suicidal poisons are those poisons which are used for
self killing such as opium, barbiturate, organophosphorus, organochloro
compounds.
(iii) Accidental poisons: Accidental poisons are those poisons which cause
toxicity by accidents or used in mistaken of others: Snakes bite, CO, and
child takes dhatura’s seeds in mistaken of capsicum seeds as it resemble to
capsicum seed.

(iv) Abortifacient poisons: The poisons winch are used to procure abortion are
know as abortifacient poisons for exemples Quinine (alkaloid), Calotropis
etc.

(v) Stupefying agent/poisons: Stupefying agents are those poisons which are
used to stupefy or fool the person for example Dhatura and chloral hydrate
are used to rob the stranger or for the commitment of other crimes.

(vi) Agents used to cause bodily injury: Usually corrosive acids are used to
cause injury on faces and known as vitriol throwing.

(vii) Cattle Poison: Agents which are used to kill livestocks are known as cattle
poisons. Abrus precatorius, Calotropis are used to kill cattle.

(viii) Used for malingering: Some times semicarpus anacardium is used by

malinger to escape from duties as these produces to produce an artificial
bruise.
 Examples
Aconite, abrus
Homicidal precatorius,
poisons strychnos nux vomica
etc.

Opium, barbiturate,
Suicidal organophosphorus,
poisons organochloro
compounds.

Snakes bite, CO,

Accidental dhatura’s seeds as it
poisons resemble to capsicum
seed.

Abortifacient Quinine, Calotropis

poisons etc.

Poisons
Stupefying Dhatura, chloral
agents hydrate etc.

Agents used
to cause body Corrosive acids
injury
Abrus precatorius,
Cattle poison calotropis

Used for Semicarpus

malingering anacardium
(D) Toxico-analytical classification: Poisons can also be classified on the bases
of method used for extraction or analysis into (i) Gaseous and volatile
substances, (ii) Organic non-volatile substances, (iii) Metallic poisons and
(iv) Anion. Therefore, this classification is known as toxico-analytical
classification.

(i) Gaseous and volatile substances: Poisons which are isolated by distillation
or by headspace are categorised into this group. Volatile substances
(methanol, ethanol, benzene, toluene, acetone etc.) can be separated from
gaseous (ethane, butane etc.) poisons because they can be extracted with
alternate methods.

(ii) Organic non-volatile substances: Compounds which are isolated by

solvent extraction methods include in this group. For example drugs such as
opiates and synthetic narcotics, sedatives and hypnotics, stimulants,
antidepressants etc and pesticides which include insecticides, fungicides,
herbicides, rodenticides, nematocides etc. In this group pesticides can be
separated from drugs, though both are organic non-volatile substances which
are isolated by solvent extraction method.

(iii) Metallic poisons: The substance which are isolated by dry ash method or by
wet digestion method constituting this group. The commonest poisons are
arsenic, lead, mercury, etc.

(iv) Anions poisons: Anions are isolated by dialysis. Most commonly

encountered anions in poisoning cases are bromide, cyanide, fluoride,
hypochlorite, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfide, sulfate etc8.

8
A. C. Moffat, M. D. Osselton, B. Widdop, S. Jickells and A. Negrusz, Clarke’s Analytical Forensic
Toxicology, Introduction to Forensic Toxicology, Chapter 1, p. 1, 2nd edi., Editor: Adam negrusz,
Gail A A Cooper, (Pharmaceutical Press, 2013).
 Gaseous and
volatile
substances Gaseous poisons: Methanol, ethanol, benzene,
toluene, acetone etc.
Volatile substances: ethane, butane etc.

Organic
non- Drugs: Opiates and synthetic narcotics,
volatile sedatives and hypnotics, stimulants,
substances antidepressants etc.
Pesticides: Insecticides, fungicides,
Poisons herbicides, rodenticides, nematocides etc.

Metallic
poisons Arsenic, lead, mercury, antimony,
zinc, copper etc.

Anions
poisons Bromide, cyanide, fluoride, hypochlorite, nitrate, nitrite,
phosphate, sulfide, sulfate etc.