Background: The analysis of ethanol in bio-samples is an important method for determination of acute alcohol use/abuse both in clinical and forensic toxicology. In forensic cases, it is known that micro-organisms involved in the postmortem putrefaction process can produce alcohol and when the body has been traumatized. In clinical setting, post-ingestion time has a critical role for determinati...

In forensic toxicology the main relevant scope of toxicologist is to answer these following questions: which kind of drug is involved? Is the analytical result related to death? Which is the supposed lethal dose? Despite the technological improvement in laboratory medicine, the main questions are apparently unresolved, because the availability of new laboratory instrumentation has sometimes inc...

The disposable QED saliva alcohol test provides a very simple, fast, and reliable means for quantitative onsite alcohol detection. The purpose of this study was to determine if the QED test would be a useful tool for the determination of postmortem ethanol levels in cases where a rapid result was needed. QED results were compared with ethanol levels determined by headspace GC analysis. Both sal...

Biochemical toxicology for the coroner should encompass a wide ranging analytical screen for drugs and toxic compounds. A multidisciplinary case conference in appropriate complex cases must become the norm to furnish the coroner with expert advice where toxicology is a factor in the cause of death. A networked Institute of Forensic Services in Ireland should be formed to integrate toxicology, c...

1 Department of Forensic Medicine and Veterinary Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena-Egypt 2 Department of Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Biology, University Essen-Duisburg, Essen-Germany 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Sıhyyie/Ankara-Türkiye 4 Animal Nutrition Group, Institute of Animal Science, U...

The reliability of analytical findings is a matter of great importance in forensic and clinical toxicology, as it is of course a prerequisite for correct interpretation of toxicological findings. Unreliable results might not only be contested in court, but could also lead to unjustified legal consequences for the defendant or to wrong treatment of the patient. The importance of validation, at l...