Forensic 6

FORENSIC
CHEMISTRY
AND
TOXICOLOGY
 MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC CHEMISTRY
AND TOXICOLOGY
Forensic Chemistry
is the science that deals with the application of chemical
principles in the examination of physical evidence. It has a
task to examine the chemical nature and composition of
various specimens such as blood and other body fluids,
gunpowder, explosives, dangerous drugs, wines, and other
physical evidence.

Forensic Toxicology
is generally concerned with the detection and
characterization of poisons or toxins exhibiting adverse
physiological effects.
 Laboratory methods used in chemical and toxicological
analysis cover a wide range and may be broadly classified
as follow:
1 2 3 4 5

Physical Crystal Chemica Spectrophoto Chromato

Test Tests l -metric tests -graphic
Spot Tests
Tests
Forensic Chemistry covers many facets of
Forensic Science such as:
Drug Analysis
deals with the identification of illicit drugs.
Toxicology
deals with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of
biological specimens for presence of drugs, alcohol
and/or poisons and their corresponding metabolites.
Trace Analysis/Arson
deals with the analysis of fire debris for the presence of
accelerants.
Serology/DNA Analysis
deals with the study of body fluids that might have
probative value in the prosecution of a crime.
The Role of a Forensic Chemist
in Criminal Investigation
1
- Investigator
2

3
- Acts as an expert
4
witness
5 - Capable analyst
- Microscopist
- Able photographer
 Well known people in Forensic

Mathieu Orfila Hans Gross Karl Landsteiner Edmond Locard

(1787-1853) (1847-1915) (1868-1943) (1877-1966)
Father of Modern Austrian lawyer Austrian biologist and French
Toxicology physician criminologist
worked in Paris and first real-life discovered human blood set up the world’s
testified in arsenic group, which made blood first Forensic
poisoning criminal
“scientific
detective” transfusions become safer. laboratory in
trial in 1840 France
 Development of the Crime Laboratory in the
Philippines
• “Medicus Titulares” was created by virtue of the Royal Decree NO. 188 of Spain dated
March 31, 1876. For every province, a Forensic doctor was a legal aid to the
administration of justice.
• On December 15, 1884, General Joaquin Jovellar created a committee to study the
mineral waters of Luzon and appointed Anacleto del Rosario as chemist.
• In 1894, the “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. Ulpiano Rodriguez was appointed
as one of the first chemist.
• In 1895 Antonio Luna arrived and established a clinical laboratory where some original
works in chemistry were done. Unfortunately, all prospects for the advancement of
the scientific laboratories were paralyzed as a result of the revolution in 1895.
 Development of the Crime Laboratory in the
Philippines
• The biological and chemical laboratories was consolidated into the Bureau of Science
(now DOST) by virtue of Act No. 1407, which also provided the merging of the Bureau
of Mines with the Bureau of Government Laboratories.
• On March 11, 1915, the Department of Legal Medicine in the University of the
Philippines was created pursuant to the resolution of the Board of Regents. Dr. Sixto
delos Angeles was appointed head of this department and was conferred the
authority to collect materials in the interest of medico-legal questions of the islands.
• Legal Medicine became a branch of the Department of Justice and at the same
time an integral part of the University of the Philippines in October 14, 1924 with the
passage of Act No. 3043 by the Philippine Legislature.
• On August 14, 1937 Miss Marcelina Villanos was appointed detective chemist and was
also detailed to work in the Department of Legal Medicine. She was transferred to the
Secret Service Division of the Manila Police working under Mr. Arcadio Laperal in the
year 1938.
 Development of the Crime Laboratory in the
Philippines
• On July 1, 1944, pursuant to the executive order of President Jose P. Laurel of the
Japanese sponsored Republic of the Philippines, all the law enforcement agencies
engaged in investigation of crimes were consolidated into one office. The Bureau of
Investigation was formally organized on July 8, 1944.
• On July 28, 1945, the medico-legal section of the Division of Investigation was
reactivated with the appointment of a skeletal force by order of the Secretary of
Justice. With the approval of R.A. No. 157, 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.
• At present, there are two distinct laboratories in the Philippines performing
Forensic Chemical analysis: the Forensic Chemistry Division of the NBI, and the PNP
Crime Laboratory.
 The Practice of Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology

STAGE 01 STAGE 02

1. Collection or reception of 2. Actual examination of the

the specimen. specimen.

STAGE 03 STAGE 04

3. Communication of the actual 4. Court appearance

results of the final examination
Laws and Principles of Forensic
Chemistry
Law of Individuality
Principle of Exchange
Law of Progressive Change
Principle of Comparison
Principle of Analysis
Law of Probability
 Analytic Techniques Used in Forensic Chemistry
and Toxicology
• Classical Methods of Analysis
- Classical methods (also known as wet chemistry methods) use separations such as
precipitation, extraction, and distillation and qualitative analysis by color, odor, or
melting point.
1. Qualitative Analysis
-is the chemical analysis designed to identify the substance (s) present.
2. Quantitative Analysis
-is the chemical analysis designed to determine precisely how much of the substance
(s) is/are present. Quantitative analysis is achieved by measurement of weight or volume.
• Modern Methods of Analysis
Characteristics of the Tools and Techniques
Sensitivity
Tools and techniques must be sensitive because
the amount of the materials to be detected is
extremely small, often in micro or semi-micro
quantities.

Specificity
Tools and techniques must be specific. A test for
barbiturates must be specific in order to find out the
classification of the barbiturate, so that its source could
be traced to the criminal.

Rapidity
High precision instruments are used as the classical wet
method of analysis usually takes days or weeks for
checking and rechecking processes.
Measurements Used in the Examination of
Materials

Dimensions Refractive index

Angles Birefringence
Melting point Polarization
Boiling point Fluorescence
Density
 Techniques
Used in
Forensic
Chemistry and
Toxicology
 Microscopy
• MICROSCOPE
- an instrument that can be used to observe small objects, even cells. The image of an
object is magnified through at least one lens in the microscope. This lens bends light
toward the eye and makes an object appear larger than it actually is.
Microscopes Used in Forensic Science
Compound Microscope
It is a microscope that uses multiple lenses to enlarge
the image of a sample. Typically, a compound
microscope is used for viewing samples at high
magnification (40 - 1000x), which is achieved by the
combined effect of two sets of lenses: the ocular lens
(in the eyepiece) and the objective lenses (close to
the sample).
 Microscopes Used in Forensic Science

• Comparison Microscope
• a device used to observe side-by-
side specimens. It consists of two
microscopes connected to an
optical bridge, which results in a
split view window. The
comparison microscope is used in
forensic sciences to compare
microscopic patterns and identify
or deny their common origin.
 Microscopes Used in Forensic Science

• Stereoscopic microscope
• A stereo microscope is used for
low-magnification applications,
allowing high-quality, 3D
observation of subjects that are
normally visible to the naked eye.
In life science stereo microscope
applications, this could involve
the observation of insects or
plant life.
 Microscopes Used in Forensic Science

• Polarizing microscope
• Polarized light microscopy (PLM)
is a technique commonly used in
forensic science in identifying and
characterizing trace evidence
found at crime scenes, such as
fibers, hairs, paints, and glass
fragments.
 Microscopes Used in Forensic
Science

• Microspectrophotometer
• The microspectrophotometer is a
scientific instrument used to
measure the spectra of
microscopic samples. For
example, a forensic scientist will
use one to analyze the dye in a
single textile fiber or a chemist
will use it to measure the
spectrum of a nanocrystals.
 Microscopes Used in Forensic Science
• Scanning Electron Microscope
Scanning electron microscope
(SEM) can magnify objects
100,000 times. It is used to detect
the minute gunpowder particles
present on the hand of a person
who has recently fired a gun.
These particles can also be
chemically analyzed to identify
their origin from a particular type
of bullet.
 PHOTOGRAP
HY
• referred to as police
photography, forensic imaging
or crime scene photography. - is
the art of producing an accurate
reproduction of a crime scene
or an accident using
photography for the benefit of
a court or to aid in an
investigation.
 Invisible Rays
• The used of UV rays, IR rays and X-rays are very
common in crime investigation.

Electrophoresis
• This technique is useful for colloidal or other materials
like inks, paints, and pigments having residual charge on
the molecules. This is used in the study of blood and
other materials that are protein in nature.
 Chromatograp
• hy its output into a detector
used as an analytical tool, feeding
that reads the contents of the mixture. It can also be used as a
purification tool, separating the components of a mixture for
use in other experiments or procedures.

Column
• Chromatography
Chromatography columns are used to separate out individual
components of a liquid sample. A chromatography column is in
essence a tube filled with a solid substance (the stationary
phase) through which the liquid sample (the mobile phase)
passes.
 Paper
• Chromatography
technique for separating dissolved chemical substances by
taking advantage of their different rates of migration across
sheets of paper. It is an inexpensive but powerful analytical
tool that requires very small quantities of material.

Thin Layer Chromatography

• is a very commonly (TLC)
used technique in synthetic chemistry for
identifying compounds, determining their purity and following
the progress of a reaction. It also permits the optimization of
the solvent system for a given separation problem
 Gas Chromatography (GC)
• This technique is applied in the analysis of gases, liquids,
volatile materials and for substances which pyrolyze to give
identifiable volatile products. Gasoline, kerosene, liquor,
perfume, paints, varnishes, barbiturates, soaps, and
insecticides are analyzed by this technique.

Spectrography
• This is the oldest modern technique in the analysis of clue
materials. This is useful in the study of metallic poisons, paints,
glass, soil, dust and other materials.
 Laser Technique
• a small narrow, beam of intense light is used to vaporize the
material. The wavelengths of the light produced are studied in
the usual manner. The advantage of this technique is that
there is no noticeable damage to the object as a small spot in
the object is vaporized.

Mass Spectrophotometry
• an instrumental method for identifying the chemical
constitution of a substance by means of the separation of
gaseous ions according to their differing mass and charge.
 Polymerase Chain Reaction
• can rapidly clone, or(PCR)
multiply, the DNA from a tiny sample of
any of these substances. This process produces enough DNA
to compare with a sample of DNA taken from a suspected
criminal.

Neutron Activation
• This techniqueAnalysis
is the most sensitive and specific in the
examination of hair, plant materials, plants, soil, dust, and
other clue materials but it is the most expensive way of
analysis.
 X-ray Diffraction Analysis
• This technique is sensitive and specific, and the
materials are not destroyed in the process. The
technique starts when a beam of X-rays is passed
through the material. This is useful in the detection of
barbiturates, glass, minerals, inorganic substances,
paints, pigments, corrosion, dust, and other solid
material.
THANK YOU !!!

JEREMY V. YERRO
INSTRUCTOR, CCJE