1. Warm Up
Objective: Scientists will describe forensic toxicology by taking notes and creating a product of choice.
What is the topic?
What will you be doing?
Why is this important?
How will you know if you have done well? 1

2. Warm Up
Objective: Scientists will describe forensic toxicology by taking notes and creating a product of choice.
What is the topic? Forensic toxicology
What will you be doing? Notes, product choice
Why is this important? Evidence; future career choice
How will you know if you have done well? Able to describe forensic toxicology; took notes/created product choice 2

3. Toxicology
Toxicology—the study of the adverse effects of chemicals or physical agents on living organisms.
Types:
Environmental—air, water, soil
Consumer— foods, cosmetics, drugs
Medical, clinical, forensic 3

4. Poison vs Venom
Poisons are chemicals that can injure or impair body functions.
Venoms are substances injected by one species into another.
Toxins are mostly described as drugs produced by microorganisms.
Venoms and toxins are mostly proteins or polypeptides. Many of toxins and poisons are alkaloids (drugs of plant origin)

5. History of Poison
Poison has been used for over 6,500 years starting with early hunters
Favorite method of assassination in Roman Empire
In the modern era, intentional poisoning is less common
Now seen more often with Russian assassinations

6. Acute v Chronic Poisoning
Acute- the adverse effects of a substance that result either from a single exposure or from multiple exposures in a short period of time
Chronic- the long-term repeated or continuous exposure to a poison where symptoms do not occur immediately or after each exposure. The patient gradually becomes ill, or becomes ill after a long latent period

7. Factors Affecting Poisoning
1) Dose
2) Concentration
3) Rate of administration
4) Tolerance
5) Age
6) Route of absorption/administration
7) State
8) Health
9) Idiosyncrasy
10) Toxicity
11) Cumulative effect

8. Toxicology Toxic substances may: *Be a cause of death
*Contribute to death
*Cause impairment
*Explain behavior 8

9. General Classes of Poisons
Gases
Inorganic Poisons
Heavy Metals
Corrosives
Alkaloidal Poisons
Nonalkaloidal Poisons

10. Carbon Monoxide Occurs when you inhale too much carbon monoxide
being colorless, odorless, tasteless, it is very difficult for people to detect
1% concentration in air leads to death in 3 min

11. Lead
Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues
It interferes with the development of the nervous system and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behavior disorders

12. Mercury
Symptoms typically include sensory impairment (vision, hearing, speech), disturbed sensation and a lack of coordination
Can be caused by fish ingestion
Inhalation extremely dangerous

13. Arsenic A medical condition caused by elevated levels of As
Usually from groundwater that naturally contains high concentrations
As the poisoning develops, convulsions and changes in fingernail pigmentation occur

14. Thallium and Polonium Both Tl and Po are radioactive elements
Cause radiation poisoning
Marked by vomiting, nausea, hair falling out, burns, seizures, dizziness, severe pain

15. Cyanide
very lethal
Can enter by inhalation, ingestion, or direct skin contact
Used for executions
Damages internal workings of the cell
ME will notice a BRIGHT cherry red color to the victim’s blood.

16. Strychnine Plant based rat poison
Extremely bitter taste: hard to disguise
Causes a LOT of pain: Not typical in suicides
Causes convulsions
Death is caused by asphyxia
Rigor mortis is quick

17. Ricin
A highly toxic, naturally occurring protein produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant
A dose of a few grains can kill an adult human
Poisonous if inhaled, injected, or ingested

18. Pesticides
toxic substances released intentionally into our environment to kill living things
Includes substances that kill
weeds (herbicides)
insects (insecticides)
fungus (fungicides)
rodents (rodenticides)
Poisoning occurs when pesticide interferes with organisms not targeted

19. Common Household Items
Bleach
Antifreeze
Drain openers
Oven cleaners
Pain relievers
Dish soap
Laundry Detergent

20. Fatal Poisonous Plants/Fungi
Nightshade
Hemlock
Curare
Mushrooms
Oleander
Yew
Mistletoe

21. Toxicity Classification CORRELATION TO INGESTION BY 150-LB ADULT HUMAN
a taste to a drop
extreme
to a teaspoon
high
to an ounce
moderate
to a pint
slight
to a quart
practically nontoxic
more than 1 quart
relatively harmless 21

22. To Prove a Case Prove a crime was committed Motive Intent
Access to poison
Access to victim
Death was homicidal
Death was caused by poison 22

23. Product Choice Toxic Tales Write a fairy tale using a poison
Poisons Project
Research a case involving poisoning