Forensic Toxicology
Poison classification and the statutes that govern it, sample matrices, extraction, and the chromatography and spectrometry that confirm a case.
- 78hours
- 25topics
- 7modules
Foundations of Forensic Toxicology
What forensic toxicology actually does inside an investigation, how poisons are classified by origin, mode of action and chemical nature, and what makes one poison more lethal than another in the same dose.
Start module- Introduction and Scope of Forensic ToxicologyWhat forensic toxicology does inside an investigation, how it differs from clinical and environmental toxicology, and a typical caseload at Indian FSLs.14 min
- Classification of Poisons by Origin, Action and Chemical NatureThe four ways a toxicologist classifies a poison: by origin, mode of action, chemical nature and intent, whether accidental, suicidal or homicidal.12 min
- Factors Affecting the Intensity of PoisoningDose, route, age, tolerance and organ status all shape how severely a poison acts, and how post-mortem interpretation weighs these variables.14 min
Poisoning in India: Signs, Scene and Law
Signs, symptoms and antidotes for the poisons that turn up in Indian post-mortems, the patterns NCRB and ICMR data show on suicidal and accidental poisoning, how a poisoning crime scene is worked, and the Indian statutory frame: Poison Act 1919, Drugs Act 1940 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Start module- Signs, Symptoms and Antidotes of Common PoisonsThe cholinergic, anticholinergic, opioid, sympathomimetic and sedative-hypnotic toxidromes, paired with the antidotes stocked in Indian hospital pharmacies.12 min
- Poisoning Trends and Patterns in IndiaWhat NCRB and ICMR data show on Indian poisoning: aluminium phosphide in Punjab and Haryana, organophosphates in rural Maharashtra, and rising urban cases.15 min
- Crime Scene Investigation in Poisoning CasesWhat investigators collect at a suspected poisoning scene, the precautions around residues and containers, and the chain-of-custody rules under BNSS 2023.13 min
- Indian Poison Laws: Poison Act 1919, Drugs Act 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics ActThe statutory frame for selling and prescribing poisons and scheduled drugs in India: the Poison Act 1919, the Drugs Act 1940, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.13 min
Sample Matrices and Classical Extraction
Viscera and biological sample collection at autopsy, classification of matrices, and the classical wet-chemistry extraction methods every Indian toxicology lab still relies on: Stas-Otto, ammonium sulphate, distillation, microdiffusion and dialysis.
Start module- Post-Mortem Examination and Viscera Collection in PoisoningWhat an autopsy surgeon collects in a suspected poisoning: the standard viscera set, the preservatives used, and how samples reach the forensic laboratory.14 min
- Biological, Non-Biological and Viscera Matrices in ToxicologyHow a toxicologist classifies samples as biological, non-biological or viscera, and what each matrix means for extraction and interpretation.15 min
- Classical Extraction: Stas-Otto and Ammonium Sulphate MethodsThe acid and alkaline solvent-partitioning methods still used on Indian toxicology benches: Stas-Otto and its ammonium sulphate variant for protein-rich tissue.13 min
- Distillation, Microdiffusion and Dialysis TechniquesThe classical isolation methods for volatile poisons: distillation, the Conway microdiffusion cell for cyanide and ethanol, and dialysis clean-up.13 min
Modern Extraction and Chromatographic Techniques
Dry ashing and wet digestion for metallic poisons, the modern extraction stack (SPE, SPME, accelerated solvent extraction), and the chromatographic separation toolkit used in routine and reference toxicology: TLC, HPLC, HPTLC and GLC.
Start module- Dry Ashing and Wet Digestion for Metallic PoisonsHow metallic poisons are freed from tissue before AAS or ICP analysis, using dry ashing, wet digestion, and the microwave-assisted digestion labs now prefer.8 min
- Modern Extraction: SPE, SPME and Accelerated Solvent ExtractionSolid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction and accelerated solvent extraction are the modern methods that replaced classical liquid-liquid extraction.8 min
- Chromatographic Techniques: TLC, HPLC, HPTLC and GLCThe four chromatography methods a toxicology lab relies on: TLC for screening, HPLC and HPTLC for separating drugs, and GLC for volatile poisons and pesticides.14 min
Spectrometric and Inorganic Analysis
UV-Vis, FTIR and mass spectrometry as detection layers on top of chromatography, the AAS/ICP/IC stack for inorganic poisons, and the gas and volatile poison cases (CO, cyanide, methanol, ethanol) that every Indian lab sees on a weekly basis.
Start module- Spectrometric Detection: UV-Vis, FTIR and Mass SpectrometryUV-Vis absorbance, FTIR fingerprinting and mass spectrometry, the detection layers that turn a presumptive toxicology screen into a confirmed identification.18 min
- Inorganic Poison Analysis: AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS and Ion ChromatographyHow toxic metals and anions are quantified after digestion, using AAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS and ion chromatography, matched to medico-legal detection limits.10 min
- Gases and Volatile Poisons: Carbon Monoxide, Cyanide, Methanol and EthanolThe volatile poison cases a lab sees: carbon monoxide in fire deaths, cyanide poisonings, methanol in hooch tragedies, and drink-driving ethanol cases.14 min
Classes of Poisons
The major chemical and pharmacological classes a forensic toxicologist works through case after case: toxic metals and anions, the pesticide groups that dominate Indian rural poisoning, and the acidic, neutral and alkaline drug classes seen in drug-facilitated crime.
Start module- Toxic Metals and Anions: Arsenic, Lead, Mercury, Thallium and BeyondThe metal poison panel run on AAS and ICP-MS: arsenic, lead, mercury and thallium poisoning, plus the Reinsch and Marsh tests still taught for detecting them.14 min
- Pesticide Poisoning: Organophosphate, Carbamate, Pyrethroid and Aluminium PhosphideThe pesticide groups behind most rural poisoning deaths: organophosphates and the cholinergic toxidrome, carbamates, pyrethroids and aluminium phosphide.15 min
- Acidic, Neutral and Alkaline Drug AnalysisHow drugs are separated by pKa into acidic, neutral and alkaline fractions before chromatographic analysis, from barbiturates to opioids and tricyclics.14 min
Specialised Matrices and Natural Poisons
Hair analysis as a long-window matrix for drugs and chronic poisoning, drug metabolism and metabolite identification, the bacterial and chemical patterns in food poisoning, and the plant and animal poisons that still appear in Indian medico-legal practice.
Start module- Hair Analysis for Drugs and Chronic PoisoningWhy hair is the long-window matrix for chronic drug use and slow poisoning, using segmental analysis, SOFT/SOHT cut-offs and decontamination protocols.14 min
- Drug Metabolism, Distribution and Metabolite IdentificationPhase I and Phase II drug metabolism, post-mortem redistribution, and how a parent-drug to metabolite ratio can mark the route and timing of intake.16 min
- Food Poisoning: Bacterial and ChemicalBacterial food poisoning from Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum, chemical contamination from metals and pesticide residues, and how labs split the casework.14 min
- Plant Poisons of Medico-Legal Importance in IndiaThe plant poisons that recur in Indian medico-legal cases, Datura, oleander, aconite and ricin among them, with their alkaloids, signs and antidotes.15 min
- Animal and Venomous Poisons: Snakebite, Insect and MarineThe Big Four Indian snakebites, scorpion and insect envenomation, and marine toxins, and the methods used to confirm envenomation after death.15 min