Lec 3

Forensic Chemistry and
Toxicology
Introduction
“If the law has made you a
witness, remain a man of
Science. You have no victim to
avenge, no guilty or innocent
person to ruin or save. You must
bear witness within the limits of
Science.”
- Brouardel
What is Forensic Science?
• the application of science to those
criminal and civil laws that are
enforced by police agencies in a
criminal justice system.
Forensic Science is…
• Applied Science
• Often called “criminalistics”
Forensic Science applies
}
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Physics to civil and criminal law
• Geology
• Places physical evidence into a

professional discipline.
The development of
Forensic Science
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Popularized physical
detection methods in a
crime scene
• Developed the character
Sherlock Holmes
Mathieu Orfila (1787 – 1853)
• Father of Forensic Toxicology
• 1814 - Treatise on detection of

poisons & their effects on
animals.
Alphonse Bertillon (1853 – 1914)
• Father of Criminal Detection

• Devised the first scientific
system of personal
identification, using body
measurements known as
anthropometry in 1879.
Francis Galton (1822 – 1911)
• Conducted the first definitive study
of fingerprints and their
classification.
• 1892 – Treatise entitled Finger

Prints
Leone Lattes (1887 – 1954)
• Devised a simple procedure for
determining the blood type (A,B,O,AB)
of a dried bloodstain
Calvin Goddard (1891 – 1955)
• Used a comparison microscope to

determine if a bullet was fired from a
specific gun
• Published study of “tool marks” on
bullets
Albert S. Osborn (1858 – 1946)
• Developed fundamental principles
of document examination
– 1910 – Treatise Questioned
Documents
• Was responsible for the acceptance

of documents as scientific evidence
by the courts
Edmond Locard (1877 – 1966)
• Demonstrated how the principles

developed by Hans Gross could
be incorporated into a workable
crime lab.
• Locard's exchange principle
states that once contact is made
between two surfaces a transfer of
material(s) will occur.
Forensic Chemistry
• Is defined as that branch of
chemistry that deals with the
application of chemical principles in
the solution of problems that arise
in connection with the
administration of justice.
• It is chemistry applied in the
elucidation of legal problem.
Forensic Chemistry
• Plays a very important part in speedy
investigation and in the administration
of justice.
• It is well-settled that this Science has
an advantage over extracted
confessions, eyewitnesses and other
circumstantial evidence.
• It is regarded as the highest form of
uncontestable and conclusive piece
of evidence with the utmost legal
significance.
Scope of Forensic Chemistry
• Forensic Chemistry embraces a

large and diversified field. It includes
not only the chemical side of
criminal investigation with which it
is generally associated with the
public mind but also the analysis of
any material the quality of which
may give rise to legal proceedings.
• Forensic Chemistry is not limited to
purely chemical questions involved
in legal proceedings. It has invaded
other branches of forensic sciences
notably legal medicine, ballistics,
questioned documents,
dactyloscopy and photography.
• Deals with application of chemistry
in the identification of evidence, its
physical and chemical properties.
• It also includes the collection,
preservation, examination and study
of blood, semen, and other body
fluids; examination of dangerous
drugs; examination of body fluid to
determine the presence of
dangerous drugs;
• Alcohol (liquor) test; examination of
fake products for unfair trade
competition; arson investigation;
macro etching examination; bullet
trajectory; ultraviolet examination;
tools and other marks; gunshot
residues (gunpowder nitrates,
paraffin test; distance determination;
and firearms examination);
• And principles and examination of

explosives, hair and textiles fibers;
chemical aspects of document and
examination; problems on glass
fragments and glass fracture, moulage,
metallurgy and petrography as applied
to crime investigation. Forensic
Chemistry also includes the study and
examination of Deoxyribonucleic acid
or DNA for brevity.
Development of the Scientific
Crime Laboratory in the
Philippines
• February 14, 1829 – Massacre

occurred in Chicago. Then a group of
public-minded individuals was
responsible for the establishment of a
scientific crime laboratory in the city
which today has marked its place in
the historical annals of police science.
Philippines
• March 31, 1876 - Creation of
“Medicos Titulares” by virtue of Royal
Decree No. 188 of Spain. For every
province, a Forensic Physician was
assigned to perform public sanitary
duties and at the same time provide
medico – legal aids to the
administration of justice.
Philippines
• December 15, 1884 - Governor

General Joaquin Javellar created a
committee to study the mineral
waters of Luzon and appointed
Anacleto del Rosario as chemist.
Philippines
• September 13, 1887 – Establisment
of “Laboratorio Municipal de Manila” under
the inspection of the “Direccion General de
Administracion Civil” and the control of the
“Gobierno de Provincias”. The functions of
the laboratory were to make analysis, not
only food, water and others from the
standpoint of public health and legal
medicine, but also of specimens for clinical
purposes.
Philippines
• 1894 - “Laboratorio Medico-legal”

was created under the dependency
of the judicial branch of the
government and the laboratory
functioning under the direction of a
physician and assisted by a
pharmacist-chemist.
Philippines
• 1895 - Antonio Luna established a

clinical laboratory where some original
works in chemistry were done.
Unfortunately, all prospect of the
advancement of the scientific
laboratories were paralyzed as a result
of the revolution in 1896.
Philippines
• 1899 – The first scientific laboratory

was established in a small building on
the banks of Pasig River with Lt. R.P.
Strong of the US Army in charge.
• 1901 - Actual scientific work began
under the initiative of Dean C.
Worcester by virtue of Act No. 156
approved by the Civil Commission.
Philippines
• July 01, 1901 - The Bureau of

Government Laboratories was
created for the purpose of
performing biological and chemical
examinations as well as for the
production of vaccines and sera.
Philippines
• March 11, 1915 – The Department

of Legal Medicine was created
pursuant to the resolution of the
Board of Regents. The department
took charge of the courses of legal
medicines and its branches in the
College of Medicine and Law.
Philippines
• October 14, 1924 - Through the

passage of Act No. 3043 by the
Philippine Legislature, the same
Department of Legal Medicine
became a branch of the Department
of Justice and at the same time an
integral part of the University of the
Philippines.
Philippines
• December 01, 1937 - the “Division
of Investigation” was created under
Commonwealth Act No. 181 with
two medico – legal officers and a
chemist. The Medico-Legal Section
of the Division of Investigation
started the definite movement
towards the creation of scientific
crime detection laboratory.
Philippines
• September 1945 - The National

Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was
organized with the Division of
Investigation as the nucleus. The
chemical laboratory of the Medico-
Legal Section was expanded into a
Forensic Chemistry Division.
Philippines
• Criminal investigation in the Philippines are
not consolidated under one office. The Manila
Police Department, Philippine Constabulary
and the Division of Investigation (new the NBI)
are all engage in this task.
• The Philippine Constabulary organized its
own medico-legal office with a chemical
laboratory on October 1939 for the purpose of
assisting in the investigation of crimes within
their jurisdiction.
Philippines
• The Manila Police Department

created its own Medico-Legal
Section on July 4, 1942 with the
appointment of Dr. Pablo Anzures as
medico-legal officer and later head
of the office.
Philippines
• Miss Marcelina Villanos was
appointed detective-chemist on
August 14, 1937 and detailed to
work in the Department of Legal
Medicine. She was performing
laboratory examinations for the
Manila Police Department of Legal-
Medicine of the University of the
Philippines.
Philippines
• July 1, 1944 pursuant to the executive order
of President Jose P. Laurel of the Japanese
sponsored Republic of the Philippines all the
different law enforcing agencies engaged in
the investigation of crimes were
consolidated into one office and the Bureau
of Investigation was formally organized on
July 8, 1944. All scientific activities in
relation to crime detection were centralized
in the chemical laboratory of the Division of
Legal Medicine.
Philippines
• The increasing number of crimes in the
provinces, the Medico-Legal Section of the
Division of Investigation was reactivated on
June 28, 1945 with the appointment of a
skeleton force by order of the Secretary of
Justice. With the approval of Republic Act No.
157, the National Bureau of Investigation was
organized with the Division of Investigation as
the nucleus. The chemical laboratory of the
Medico-Legal Section was expanded into a
Forensic Chemistry Division.
Development of the Scientific Crime
Laboratory in the Philippines
Four distinct laboratories in the Philippines
performing forensic chemical analyses,
namely:
• Forensic Chemistry Division of the NBI
• The Criminal Investigation Laboratory of
the Manila Police Department
• The Criminal Investigation Detection
Laboratory of the Philippine Constabulary
• Camp Crame Crime Laboratory of the
Philippine National Police
Basic Services Provided by
Full-Service Crime Laboratories
• Physical Science Unit:
– Applies the principles and techniques of
Chemistry
Physics
Geology
to the identification and comparison of
crime-scene evidence
• Biology Unit:
– Identifies dried bloodstains and body fluids
– Compares hairs and fibers
– Identifes and compares botanical materials such
as wood and plants
– Performs DNA analysis
Basic Services
• Firearms Unit: examines
– Firearms
– Discharged bullets
– Cartridge cases
– Shotgun shells
– Ammunition of all types
• Document Examination Unit:

– Analyzes handwriting, paper and printers of
documents
• Photography Unit:
– Examines and records physical evidence at
the crime scene and at suspects' locations
Optional Services Provided by
Full-Service Crime Labs
• Toxicology Unit:
– Examines body fluids and organs in order to
determine the presence and identification of
drugs and poisons
• Latent Fingerprint Unit:

– Processes and examines evidence for latent
fingerprints
– i.e. those found on surfaces
• Polygraph Unit:
– Uses lie detectors, an essential tool of the
crime investigator rather than the forensic
scientist
Scientific Evidence
• The investigator is a fact finder, but

he must know the laws concerning
the nature of his activities. He
should procure evidence in such a
way that the findings can be
admitted in court and remain
impregnable to any attack by the
opposing counsel.
• Evidence is a proof of allegation. It is
a means sanctioned by law, of
ascertaining in judicial proceedings
the truth respecting a matter of fact.
(Sec. 1 Rule 128, Rules of Court).
• Scientific evidence is defined as the
means sanctioned by law, of
ascertaining in a judicial proceeding
the truth respecting a matter of fact
wherein scientific knowledge is
necessary.
• Physical Evidence is an article and
material which is found in connection with
an investigation and which aid in
establishing the identity of perpetrator or
the circumstances under which the crime
was committed or which in general assist
in the prosecution of the criminal. It
encompasses any and all objects that can
establish that a crime has been committed
or can provide a link between a crime and
its victim or a crime and its perpetrator.
Evidence
• Direct evidence is simply that

which the senses perceive. Any fact
to which a witness testifies based
on what he saw, heard, smelled,
touched or tested.
Evidence
• Circumstantial evidence is a kind
of evidence which seeks to establish a
conclusion by inferences from proved
facts. An evidence which establishes a
fact or circumstance from which the court
may infer another fact issue. Is sufficient
to produce conviction if there is more
than one circumstance, the facts from
which the Inferences are derived are
proven, and the combination of all the
circumstances is such as to produce
conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
Evidence
• Hearsay evidence is a statement
made by a witness on the authority of
another and not from his own personal
knowledge or observation. Hearsay
evidence is inadmissible except with
certain well-defined exceptions. Some of
the common exceptions to the rules of
exclusion generally applicable to hearsay
evidence are declaration against interest,
dying declarations, resgestae, reputation,
public records and statements made at a
prior time.
Forms of Scientific Evidence
• Real or Autoptic evidence it is

that evidence which is addressed to
the senses of the court. It is not
limited to that which can be known
by the sense of vision but extends to
those which are perceived by the
senses of hearing, taste, smell or
touch.
• Testimonial evidence an expert

may be placed on the witness stand
and answer all questions to be
propounded by both parties in the
case. It is a solemn declaration
made orally by a witness under oath
in response to interrogation by a
lawyer.
• Experimental evidence an expert

witness may be required to perform
certain experiments to prove a
certain matter of fact. The court,
however, in its own discretion may
or may not allow this kind of
evidence.
• Documentary evidence any

written evidence presented by an
expert in court which is relevant to
the subject matter in dispute and not
excluded by the Rules of Court.
Formal written report, expert opinion,
certificates and dispositions are
included in this group.
Preservation and Safekeeping
of Evidence
The following are the guidelines in the proper

preservation and safekeeping of evidence:
• Proper chain of custody shall always be
observed.
• All examined pieces of evidence (drugsa nd
other paraphernalia, explosives, firearms, etc.)
shall be personally turned over by the
examiner on case to the evidence custodian.
of Evidence
• The latter, in turn, shall execute its

documentation by recording all
received as well as released
evidence for court presentation. No
examiners shall keep in their
possession evidence once
examined.
of Evidence
• Evidence shall be properly placed in

suitable dry containers for proper
preservation and shall be placed
inside the concrete evidence room.
of Evidence
Firearms evidence shall be kept in a
separate evidence room especially
designed for the purpose. However,
hazardous evidence such as explosives
and other inflammable evidence are
photographed after examination with its
corresponding case number before
turning it over to Explosive Ordinance
Disposal Unit (EODU) with proper receipt
for safekeeping or proper disposal.
Witness
• One who testifies in court and has
personal knowledge or experience
of something.
• A person, other than the suspect
who is requested to give information
concerning an incident or person.
• He may be a victim, a complainant,
an accuser, a source of information
and an observer of an occurrence.
Witness in court may be:
• Ordinary person is one who states
facts and may not express his
opinions or conclusion.
• He or she may testify to impressions
of common experience such as the
speed of a vehicle, whether a voice
was that of a man, woman or child.
Beyond this is limited.
As ordinary witness, the Rules of Court
requires that the person must have the
following qualifications:
• He must have the organ and power

to perceive.
• The perception by his organ can be
imparted to others.
• He does not fall in any of the
exception provided for by the law,
Sec. 26, Rules 123, Rule of Court.
Witness in court may be:
• Expert witness is one who possesses
a special skill be it in art, trade or science
or one who has special knowledge in
matters not generally known to men of
ordinary education and experience.
• He is a person skilled in some art, trade or
science to the extent that he possesses
information not within the common
knowledge of man. (Sec. 18, Rule 123,
Rules of Court.
Difference between Ordinary and
Expert Witness
• An ordinary witness can only state
what his senses have perceived while
an expert witness may state what he
has perceived and also give his
opinions, deductions or conclusions to
his perceptions.
• As ordinary witness may not be skilled
on the line he is testifying while an
expert witness must be skilled in the
art, science or trade he is testifying.
Difference between Ordinary and
Expert Witness
• An ordinary witness cannot testify

on things or facts he has not
perceived except those provided for
by law while an expert witness may
testify on things which he has not
seen by giving his opinions,
deductions or conclusion on the
statement of facts.
Practice of Forensic Chemistry
• Collection or reception of the

specimen to be examined - it is
most important that whenever
possible the chemist should
personally collect all the specimens
necessary for the examination.
Collection or reception of the
specimen to be examined
• Unless this is done, something

essential to the elucidation of the
problem may be omitted and in
some cases questions regarding the
collection and transit of the
specimen are raised during the trial.
Guiding Principles
• Sufficiency of Samples police are

usually inclined to be niggardly in
taking samples probably because
they have an unqualified belief in the
magic of such analytical instrument
as the microscope and spectrograph.
This mistake should be avoided.
Guiding Principles
• Standard for Comparison if the
evidence in question is found in the
presence of foreign substance, a
sample of the foreign substance must
be submitted for analysis.
• Maintenance of Individuality each
evidence must be collected and
preserved as a separated sample. There
must be no mixing or intermingling of
unknown with known.
Guiding Principles
• Labeling and Sealing evidence

will have no value in court inspite of
the good report of the expert if the
specimen cannot be identified and
possibility of tampering excluded.
• The actual examination of the
specimen – the first step in the
examination of an article is to
scrutinize it carefully and write down
in the laboratory notebook a
complete description of its external
appearance including the manner in
which it is secured and particulars
of the sealing.
• Communication of the result of
the examination - the result of the
examination conducted will be
communicated to the requesting
party in the form of a written report
which must include an enumeration
of the articles received for
examination with detailed
description of the packing, sealing
and labeling,
Communication of the result of
the examination
• date or receipt and form whom
received, the purpose of the
examination, the findings and
conclusion. The findings should
include a brief but sufficient record
of all significant facts noted during
the examination.
• Court Appearance – the written
report of the chemist is usually
supplemented at a later date by oral
evidence if the case is brought to
court or fiscal’s office. In court
appearance the witness must ne
composed and as much as possible
avoid being irritated by upbraiding of
the opposite counsel.
Role of Forensic Chemist in the
Scientific Investigation
• A Forensic Chemist, as a man of

science, performs laboratory
examinations on physical evidence
submitted to the crime laboratory in
order to expedite the investigation of
a crime by the investigating party.
Responsibilities of Forensic
Chemist
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative
determination of abused drugs as
well as volatile substances.
• Conducts chemical examination of
explosives and or explosive
ingredients.
• Conducts examination of paraffin
cast and firearms to determine the
presence of gunpowder nitrates.
Chemist
• Conducts gunpowder examination
on clothing for possible gunshot
range.
• Conducts chemico-toxicological
examination of human internal
organs, gastric contents, blood,
water, food sample and other
substances.
Chemist
• Conducts examination of fake
products in cases of unfair trade
competition.
• Conducts blood alcohol
determinations.
• Examines urine samples and other
body fluids for the presence of
abused drugs.
Chemist
• Conducts researches related to
cases being examined.
• Testifies and gives expert opinion in
court.
• Gives lectures on Forensic
Chemistry and Chemical-toxicology
to various schools, universities,
police training centers and
investigating units.
Chemist
• Responds to queries of all

investigating units and render expert
opinion on matters related to the
application of chemical principles
for the purpose of assisting
investigators to develop
investigative leads.
Six Golden Rules in the Practice of
Forensic Chemistry
• Go slowly: good work cannot be

hurried, therefore take all the time
necessary to make the case
complete, no matter how urgent it
may appear or how pressing others
may be of the result; it is generally
possible to adjourn a case if the
work cannot be finished in time.
Forensic Chemistry
• Be thorough: make a careful and
minute examination of everything and do
not be satisfied with a qualitative
analysis if a qualitative one be possible;
it always pays to do too much rather
than too little and it is difficult to foresee
what will or will not be requires in Court.
• Take notes: keep a full, neat and clear
record or everything seen and done.
Forensic Chemistry
• Consult others: many cases will lead the
expert into paths with which he is not familiar,
and when this happens he should consult others
who are most likely to know.
• Use imagination: this is some what
hazardous advice, since an expert with a vivid
and uncontrolled imagination is a most
dengerous person, a disciplined imagination,
however, which enables inferences and
deductions to be made from slender and
incomplete premise is often very useful.
Forensic Chemistry
• Avoid complicated theories: the
simplest explanation is usually the right
one. The interpretation of results is
often the most difficult part of the
expert’s work, and a precise knowledge
of miscellaneous facts, a sound
judgment, good reasoning powers and
what has already been described as a
“disciplined imagination” are all
essential to success.
The General Principles Used in
Forensic Chemistry
1. Law of Individuality – this law
states that “Every object, natural or
man made, has an individuality
which is not duplicated in any other
objects.”
2. Principle of Exchange – “Contact
exchange traces” is the gist of this
principle.
Forensic Chemistry
3. Law of Progressive Change –
“Everything changes with the
passage of time.”
4. Principles of Comparison – “Only
the likes can be compared.
5. Principles of Analysis – “The
analysis can be no better than the
sample analyzed.”
Forensic Chemistry
6. Law of Probability – “All
identification, definite or indefinite,
are made consciously or
unconsciously on the basis of
probability.”
Other Forensic Services
Death can be classified into five different
categories: natural death, homicide,
suicide, accident or undetermined manner
of death.
• Forensic Pathology
– The cause of death
can often be
determined by
performing an
autopsy
• Forensic Pathology – continued
– After a human body expires there are several
stages of death
• Rigor Mortis
– immediately following death, the muscles relax and then
become rigid, shortening of the muscles.
• Livor Mortis
– when the human heart stops pumping, due to the blood
begins to settle in the parts of the body closest to the
ground due to gravity. The skin will appear dark blue or
purple in these lower areas close to the ground.
• Algor Mortis
– the process in which the body temperature continually
cools after death until it reaches room temperature,
enabling the medical examiner to establish the general
time of death.
• Forensic Anthropology:
– Primarily involves the identification and
examination of skeletal remains, in
order to determine if the remains are
human or another type of animal.
– If human, ethnicity, sex, approximate
age, and manner of death can often be
determined by an anthropologist.
• Forensic Entomology
– The study of insects and their
developmental stages
– Can help to determine the time of
death by knowing when those stages
normally appear in the insect's life
cycle
• Forensic Psychiatry
– The study of human behavior and legal
proceedings in both civil and criminal
cases
– In civil and criminal cases, competency
often needs to be determined
– In criminal trials, the evaluation of
behavior disorders is often required in
order to establish the psychological
profile of a suspect.
• Forensic Odontology
– An odontologist can match bite marks
to a suspect's teeth, or match a victim
to his dental x-rays
– Results in an identification of an
unknown individual
• Forensic Engineering
– Used to analyze construction accidents,
and the causes and origins of fires or
explosions
A Guide for the Collection, Identification,
Preservation, Packing and Submission of
Specimens to the NBI Chemical
Laboratory
• In the investigation of crimes, whether crime

against person or property, or even crimes
against the state, physical evidence is one of
the most important factors that should be
given special attention. The prosecuting fiscal
may win or lose a case on the physical
evidence presented to him by the investigator.
• It is probably the most damaging
evidence which can break down the
hardened criminal. Unlike
testimonial evidence, physical
evidence will not tell a lie.
• However, these evidences that are
very valuable become lost as far as
prosecutive value is concerned.
Some of the primary reasons that
may contribute to this disaster are:
• Improper packing of the specimen.
• Failure to identify the specimen.
• Improper precautions used in
transmitting the specimen.
• Improper preservation.
• Lack of precaution to prevent
tampering of the specimen.
• In most instances the investigator mishandles
the specimen without intention. He commits
mistakes neither due to sheer negligence nor
thoughtfulness but rather due to ignorance of the
proper method of handling physical evidence.
Sometimes these errors occur because the
investigator is so much occupied with he
investigation and he has no time to take proper
care of the specimen. He thus turns over the
specimen to a clerk who takes charge of the
packing and shipping of them. It quite
heartbreaking if after spending laborious hours
gathering these physical evidence, they become
lost because of improper packing.
Equipment used in the
Forensic Examination
• HPLC (High Powered
Liquid
Chromatography) - this
scientific equipment is
used for the qualitative
and quantitative
determination of a
volatile compound based
on the chromatographic
separation of its
components.
Equipments used in the
• Ultra-Violet spectrophotometer –
it is used for the qualitative and
quantitative analysis of organic
compounds.
• EMIT (Enzyme Multiple Immuno
Assay Technique) - it is used for
screening of abused urine samples.
• SEM (Scanning Electron
Microscope) - this scientific equipment
is used for the physical identification of
various questioned specimens. It is
software–controlled digital scanning
electron microscope used to produced
sticking images over a wide range of
magnification (3x3,000,000x) on rough or
covered surface of minute specimen such
as hair, fibers, paint particles, drugs, metal,
etc.
SEM (Scanning Electron
Microscope)
• FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared
Spectroscopy) - used for the
identification of pure organic
substances. It identifies organic
substance particularly abused drugs
and explosive ingredients based on their
characteristic functional groups. In
layman’s term, the resulting spectrum
could be referred to as the fingerprints
of the substance.
FTIR (Fourier Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy)
Procedures
1. All examination to be conducted by
the Physical Division (Forensic
Chemistry Section) require a formal
written request from the requesting
unit/party addressed to the Director,
PNP Crime Laboratory, Attn: C,
Physical Science Division. The duty
clerk will scrutinize the letter
request as well as the articles/
specimen he/she will receive.
Procedures
• He/she must check the number of
articles being submitted as well as
the markings of the investigator on
the specimen and name of subject
for paraffin casting. If there is none,
the representative of the requesting
party shall be asked to mark the
specimen to maintain the proper
chain of custody.
Procedures
2. The duty- receiving clerk must
always enter the request for
examination in the appropriate
logbook.
3. After entering the request for
examination, the duty-receiving clerk
will turn over the letter request
together with the specimen to the
duty Forensic Chemist/FOCO/
Forensic Analyst for laboratory
examination.
Procedures
4. In the absence of the examiner-on-
case, all letter requests with their
accompanying specimen submitted
received shall be kept in a
designated/secured cabinet or
drawer in order to prevent them from
being misplaced or lost. In cases of
toxicology, specimens are placed
inside freezer for preservation.
Procedures
5. In making final report, there shall only
be one format of reporting to be
followed by all examiners.
6. Typing of final reports shall be
performed by the Division Typist to
control duplication of reports. However,
initial Laboratory Reports prepared by
the Forensic Chemical Officer on case
that could be released to the
requesting unit as soon as possible.
Procedures
7. Chemistry final reports of all
examinations conducted within a
week shall be ready for signature of
the Chief of Division at the last
working day of the week (Friday).
8. Only the initial laboratory report and
duplicate copy of the Final
Laboratory report (green colored)
shall be issued to the requesting
party.
Procedures
9. The original copy of Final report
(White colored) shall be used for
court presentation and afterwards
shall be left submitted to Court with
corresponding acknowledgment of
receipt. This will serve as a control
measure in the monitoring of
disposed criminal cases.
Procedures
10. Filing of accomplished technical
reports shall be made every Friday of the
week.
11. Preparation of reports for court
presentation shall be made at least two
(2) weeks in advance.
12. A quarterly inventory of all reports shall
be made to ensure proper monitoring of
disposed cases.
13. Safekeeping of Evidence.
The End
Forensic Toxicology
• Definition:
• The science of detecting and
identifying the presence of drugs
and poisons in body fluids, tissues,
and organs.
Controlled Substances Act
• Federal Law established 5

schedules of classification of
controlled substances based on
– Drug’s potential for abuse
– Potential to physical and psychological
dependence
– Medical Value
• Note: Federal law also controls materials
that are used in making drugs and those
that are manufactured to resemble drugs
Drug Schedules
• Schedule I:
• Drugs with high potential for abuse and
addiction, NO medical value
Ex: Heroin, LSD, Ecstasy, Marijuana
• Schedule II:
• Drugs with high potential for abuse and
addiction, have some medical value with
restrictions
Ex: PCP, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Most
Opiates, Some Barbiturates
Drug Schedules
• Schedule III:
• Drugs with less potential for abuse and
addiction, currently acceptable for
medical use
Ex: Some Barbiturates, Codeine, Steroids
• Schedule IV:
• Drugs with low potential for abuse and
addiction, currently acceptable for
medical use
Ex: Tranquilizers like Valium, Xanax,
Librium
Drug Schedules
• Schedule V:
• Drugs with low potential abuse,
medical use, lowest potential
dependency
• Ex: Some Opiates with Non-Narcotic
Ingredients
Role of the Toxicologist
• Must identify one of thousands of
drugs and poisons
• Must find nanogram to microgram
quantities dissipated throughout the
entire body
• Not always looking for exact
chemicals, but metabolites of
desired chemicals (ex. heroin 
morphine within seconds)
Toxicology Procedures
• 10mL of blood in airtight container
– Add anticoagulant
– Add preservative
• 2 consecutive urine samples
– Some drugs take a while to show up in
urine (1-3 days)
• Vitreous humor
• Hair samples
Toxicology Procedures
• Screening-
– quick test to narrow down possibilities
– color tests, TLC, GC, immunoassay
• Confirmation-
– determines exact identity
– GC/Mass Spec
Note: TLC—thin layer

chromatography
Color Tests
• Marquis Test:
– Turns purple in the presence of Heroin,
morphine, opium
– Turns orange-brown in presence of
Amphetamines
• Scott Test: Three solutions
– Blue then pink then back to blue in the
presence of Cocaine
• Duquenois-Levine:
– Test for marijuana –turns purple
More Analytical Tests
• Microcrystalline Tests: Identifies
drug by using chemicals that reacts
to produce characteristic crystals
• Chromatography: TLC, HPLC and
gas – separate drugs/tentative ID
• Mass Spectrometry: chemical
“fingerprint” no two drugs fragment
the same
Why?
• Think of all the people that you have
“heard” do drugs.
• US drug manufacturers produce enough
barbiturates and tranquilizers each year to
give every person in the US 40 pills
• (that’s about 12 billion pills)
• 18,000 out of 44,000 annual traffic deaths
are alcohol related and send over 2
million people to the hospital
Toxicology of Alcohol
• Alcohol is absorbed through the
stomach and intestine
• Once absorbed, alcohol is:
– Oxidized- in liver by alcohol
dehydrogenase—turned into acidic acid
– Excreted- by breath, perspiration, and
kidneys—turned into carbon dioxide
and water
Factors that Affect Alcohol
Absorption
• Time of
consumption
• Type of alcoholic
beverage
• Presence of food
in stomach
Toxicology of Alcohol
• Alcohol intoxication depends on
– Amount of alcohol consumed
– Time of consumption
– Body weight
– Rate of alcohol absorption
Fate of Alcohol
• Alcohol is absorbed into the
bloodstream
• Distributed through-out the body’s
water
• And finally eliminated by oxidation
and excretion
Fate of Alcohol Con’t
Note:
A. Oxidation is the combination of
oxygen and alcohol to produce
new products by the liver
B. Elimination is removing alcohol
from the body in an unchanged
state; normally excreted in breath
and urine
Alcohol in the Circulatory System
• Measuring the quantity of alcohol in

the blood system determines the
degree to which someone is drunk
• Two methods of making this
measurement
– Measurement of alcohol content in
blood
– Measurement of alcohol in breath
Circulation and Alcohol
Circulation and Alcohol
Circulation Definitions
• Artery—a blood vessel that carries blood
away from the heart
• Vein—a blood vessel that transports blood
toward the heart
• Capillary—a tiny blood vessel—walls
exchange materials between blood and
tissues
• Alveoli—small sacs in lungs—exchange
vapors between breath and blood
Circulation Con’t
• Note: If alcohol is present, it will be
passed from the blood into the alveoli
where it will be passed on to the mouth
and nose during the act of breathing.
• Evidence has shown that the ratio of
alcohol to alveoli air is approx. 2100 to
1—This is a basis for relating breath to
blood-alcohol concentration.
Analysis of BAC
• Breath Tests
• Field Sobriety Tests
• Blood Tests
Breath Tests
• A breath test reflects the alcohol
concentration in the pulmonary
artery.
• One instrument used for breath
tests is called The Breathalyzer.
• The Breathalyzer is a device for
collecting and measuring the
alcohol content of alveolar breath.
The Breathalyzer
The Breathalyzer Con’t
• The Breathalyzer traps 1/40 of 2100
milliliters of alveolar breath.
• Since the amount of alcohol in 2100
milliliters of breath approximates
the amount of alcohol in 1 milliliter
of blood—the Breathalyzer in
essence measures the alcohol
concentration present in 1/40 of a
milliliter of blood.
Breathalyzer Con’t
• Once the alveolar breath is trapped it is
allowed to undergo a chemical reaction:
• 2K2Cr2O7 + 3C2H5OH + 8H2SO4  2Cr2(SO4)3 + 2K2SO4 + 3CH3COOH + 11H2O
Potassium Ethyl Sulfuric Chromium Potassium Acetic acid Dihydrogen

dichromate alcohol acid sulfate sulfate oxide
• The Breathalyzer indirectly determines the quantity of

alcohol consumed by measuring the absorption of light by
potassium chromate before and after its reaction with alcohol,
using the principle of spectrophotometry
Other Breath Tests
• Infrared breath-testing instrument
• Fuel cell
• Note: These instruments are used
more recently because they don’t
depend upon chemical reagents and
are entirely automated.
Infrared-Breath Test
• Uses the principle that infrared light is
absorbed when shined on alcohol
• Essentially, the infrared light passes
through a chamber where it will interact
with the alcohol and cause the light
density to decrease.
• The decrease in light intensity is
proportional to the concentration of
alcohol present in the captured breath
Fuel Cell—Breath Test
• A fuel cell converts a fuel and an
oxidant into an electrical current.
• In this test, the breath alcohol is the
fuel and atmospheric oxygen acts
as the oxidant.
• Alcohol is converted, generating a
current that is proportional to the
quantity of alcohol present in the
breath.
Infrared and Fuel Cell Breath
Tests
• Infrared Breath Test • Fuel Cell Test
uses infrared converts fuel
wavelengths to test for
alcohol or other (alcohol) and
interferences in the oxygen into a
breath measurable electric
current
Field Sobriety Testing
• Two reasons for the field sobriety
test:
1. Used as a preliminary test to
ascertain the degree of the suspect’s
physical impairment
2. To see whether or not an evidential
test is justified.
Field Sobriety Testing Methods
• Field sobriety testing consists of a

series of psychophysical tests and a
preliminary breath test (typically
done with a handheld fuel cell tester)
• These tests are preliminary and
nonevidential in nature—they only
serve to establish probable cause
requiring a more thorough breath or
blood test.
Field Sobriety Tests
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus
– Involuntary eye jerk as eye moves horizontally
• Walk and Turn (divided attention tasks)

• One-Leg Stand
Parts of the brain affected by
Alcohol
• Alcohol 1st
affects the
forebrain
and moves
backward
• Last
affected is
medulla
oblongata
Alcohol At least we don’t live in France,
Germany, Ireland, or Japan
and the Law (0.05%) or especially Sweden

(0.02%)!
• 1939-1964:
intoxicated =
0.15% BAC
• 1965: intoxicated
= 0.10% BAC
• 2003: intoxicated
= 0.08% BAC
Alcohol and the Law
• Try the drink wheel: http://www.intox.com/
wheel/drinkwheel.asp
The End

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Forensic Chemistry and

• Places physical evidence into a

• 1814 - Treatise on detection of

• Father of Criminal Detection

• 1892 – Treatise entitled Finger

• Used a comparison microscope to

• Was responsible for the acceptance

• Demonstrated how the principles

• Forensic Chemistry embraces a

• And principles and examination of

• February 14, 1829 – Massacre

• December 15, 1884 - Governor

• 1894 - “Laboratorio Medico-legal”

• 1895 - Antonio Luna established a

• 1899 – The ﬁrst scientiﬁc laboratory

• July 01, 1901 - The Bureau of

• March 11, 1915 – The Department

• October 14, 1924 - Through the

• September 1945 - The National

• The Manila Police Department

• Document Examination Unit:

• Latent Fingerprint Unit:

• The investigator is a fact ﬁnder, but

• Direct evidence is simply that

• Real or Autoptic evidence it is

• Testimonial evidence an expert

• Experimental evidence an expert

• Documentary evidence any

The following are the guidelines in the proper

• The latter, in turn, shall execute its

• Evidence shall be properly placed in

• He must have the organ and power

• An ordinary witness cannot testify

• Collection or reception of the

• Unless this is done, something

• Suﬃciency of Samples police are

• Labeling and Sealing evidence

• A Forensic Chemist, as a man of

• Responds to queries of all

• Go slowly: good work cannot be

• In the investigation of crimes, whether crime

• Federal Law established 5

Note: TLC—thin layer

• Measuring the quantity of alcohol in

• Field Sobriety Tests

• 2K2Cr2O7 + 3C2H5OH + 8H2SO4  2Cr2(SO4)3 + 2K2SO4 + 3CH3COOH + 11H2O

Potassium Ethyl Sulfuric Chromium Potassium Acetic acid Dihydrogen

• The Breathalyzer indirectly determines the quantity of

• Field sobriety testing consists of a

• Walk and Turn (divided attention tasks)

and the Law (0.05%) or especially Sweden

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