Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology

Forensic chemistry - is the application of chemistry to criminal investigation. Focuses on the c

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,
Semen - the male reproductive fluid containing spermatozoa in suspension.

Moulage - is the art of applying mock injuries for the purpose of training emergency response t
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 comp

Mass Spectrometry - is the analytical technique that measures the mass to charge ratio of ch
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 characteris

Anemia - any condition in which the number of red blood cells, the amount of hemoglobin and
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 neede

Hair - any of the fine threadlike strands growing from the skin of humans,mammals, and some o
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.The root bulb

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 characte
Medulla - inner most layer of the hair shaft.

From which part of the body are most often used for hair comparison? Either head or pu
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. p
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?
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 chemi

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

Toxin - an antigenic poison or venom of plant or animal origin especially one produced by or der
- poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain micro organ

Venom - poisonous fluid secreted by animals and typically injected into prey by biting or stingin
Acute Poisoning - is exposure to poison on one occasion or during a short period of time.

Chronic Poisoning - is long term repeated or continuous exposure to a poison where symptom
Antidote - a medicine taken or given to counter act a particular poison.
- a substance which can counteract poisoning.

Mathieu Orfila - is considered to be the modern father of toxicology, having given the subject i

Dioscorides - a Greek physician in the court of Roman emperor Nero, made the first attempt to
Jean Stas - a belgian analytical chemist who in 1850 gave the evidence that the Belgian count

Celsus - a roman physician from the first century, considered the father of toxicology. He is cred

Paracelsus - "Theophrastus Phillipus Aureleus Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541) - believ

LD50 - is the dose required to kill half the members of a tested population after a specified test
Dose - a quantity of medicine or drug taken or recommended to be taken at a particular time.

Overdose - the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than a
Carcinogen - any substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue.

Corrosive substance - is one that will destroy or irreversibly damage another surface or substa

Forensic Chemistry Reviewer 1

1. Considered the father of the crime laboratory.

A. Albert Osborne
B. Walker Mc Crone
C. Hans Gross
D. Edmond Locard.
2. Considered the father of microscopic forensics.
A. Albert Osborne
B. Walker Mc Crone
C. Hans Gross
D. Edmond Locard
3. Considered the father of forensic publications.
A. Albert Osborne
B. Walker Mc Crone
C. Hans Gross
D. Edmond Locard
4. The Father of Document Examination.
A. Albert Osborne
B. Walker Mc Crone
C. Hans Gross
D. Edmond Locard
5. The Father of Bloodstain Identification.
A. Calvin Goddard
B. Leone Lattes
C. Francis Galton
D. Alphonse Bertillon
6. The Father of Anthropometry.
A. Calvin Goddard
B. Leone Lattes
C. Francis Galton
D. Alphonse Bertillon
7. The Father of Fingerprinting.
A. Calvin Goddard

B. Leone Lattes
C. Francis Galton
D. Alphonse Bertillon
8. The father of Toxicology.
A. Mathiew Orfila
B. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
C. Hans Gross
D. Walter Mc Crone
9. Popularized Scientific Crime Detection methods through his
fictional character Sherlocke Holmes.
A. Mathiew Orfila
B. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
C. Hans Gross
D. Sir William Herscel
10.The Application of Scientific Techniques in collecting and
analyzing physical evidence in criminal cases.
A. Ballistics
B. Criminalistics
C. Forensics
D. Criminal Investigation
Remember The Following:
1. Edmond Locard - Considered the father of the crime laboratory.
2. Walker Mc Crone - Considered the father of microscopic
forensics.
3. Hans Gross - Considered the father of forensic publications.
4. Albert Osborne - The Father of Document Examination.
5. Leone Lattes - The Father of Bloodstain Identification.
6. Alphonse Bertillon - The Father of Anthropometry.
7. Francis Galton - The Father of Fingerprinting.
8. Mathiew Orfila - The father of Toxicology.
9. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Popularized Scientific Crime Detection
methods through his fictional character Sherlock Holmes.
10.Criminalistics - The Application of Scientific Techniques in
collecting and analyzing physical evidence in criminal cases.

Answers: Forensic Chemistry

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

D
B
C
A
B
D
C
A
B
B

Forensic Chemistry Reviewer 2

1. Is an organic fluid that may contain spermatozoa.
A. Blood
B. Urine
C. Semen
D. Saliva
2.The mature motile male sex cell of a male organism by which the
ovum is fertilized, typically having a compact head and one or more
long flagella for swimming.
A. Spermatozoa
B. Protozoa
C. Flagella
D. Semen
3. A slender thread like structure especially a microscopic whip like
appendage that enables many protozoa, bacteria, spermatozoa
to swim
A. Spermatozoa
B. Protozoa
C. Flagella
D. Semen.

4. A phylum or group of phyla that comprises the single celled

microscopic animals which includes amebas, flagellates,ciliates,
spocozoans and many other forms.
A. Spermatozoa
B. Protozoa

C. Flagella
D. Semen
5. The haploid cell that is the male gamete.
A. Spermatozoa
B. Protozoa
C. Sperm Cell
D. Semen
6. An unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development.
A. Zygote
B. Gamete
C. Embryo
D. Sperm
7. A single cell with a complete set of chromosomes that normally
develops into an embryo.
A. Zygote
B. Gamete
C. Embryo
D. Sperm
8. The sex chromosome that is present in both sexes. Singly males
and doubly in females.
A. Zygote
B. X chromosome
C. Gamete
D. Y chromosome
9. The sex chromosome that is carried by men.
A. Zygote
B. X chromosome
C. Gamete
D. Y chromosome

10. Father of micro biology and considered to be the first

microbiologists.
A. Antonie Philips Van Leeuwenhoek
B. Bridgett Bardot
C. Andy Warhol
D. Emma Stone

Remember the Following:

1.Semen - Is an organic fluid that may contain spermatozoa.
- the male reproductive fluid containing spermatozoa in
suspension.
2. Spermatozoa - The mature motile male sex cell of a male organism
by which the ovum is fertilized, typically having a compact head and
one or more long flagella for swimming.
3. Flagella - A slender thread like structure especially a microscopic
whip-like appendage that enables many protozoa, bacteria,
spermatozoa to swim.
4. Protozoa - A phylum or group of phyla that comprises the single
celled microscopic animals which includes amebas,
flagellates,ciliates,spocozoans and many other forms.
5. Sperm cell - The haploid cell that is the male gamete.
- the male reproductive cell.
6. Embryo - An unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of
development.
- An unborn human baby especially in the first 8 weeks
from conception, after implantation but before all organs are
developed.
7. Zygote - A single cell with a complete set of chromosomes that
normally develops into an embryo.
8. X chromosome - The sex chromosome that is present in both
sexes. Singly in males and doubly in females. Human females normally
have two X chromosomes.
9.Y chromosome - The sex chromosome that is carried by men. Human
males normally have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome.
10.Antonie Philips Van Leeuwenhoek - Father of micro biology and
considered to be the first microbiologists.
Answers: Forensic Chemistry
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

C
A
C
B
C

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

C
A
B
D
A