Citation

Cippitelli M, Mirtella D, Ottaviani G, Tassoni G, Froldi R, Cingolani M. J. Forensic Sci. 2018; 63(2): 640-643.

Affiliation

Chemistry Laboratory for Forensic Toxicology and Medicine, University of Macerata, via Don Minzoni 9, 62100, Macerata, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.13559

PMID

28516444

Abstract

In this case study, the body of a 45-year-old man was exhumed after 1 year at the request of the public prosecutor to assess whether the death was caused by drug consumption. Toxicological analyses were performed on several matrices, including liver, kidney, and the alternative matrices hair and teeth. The systematic toxicological analysis (STA), which consisted of basic and acid liquid/liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, showed the presence of opiates in each of the matrices analyzed. Subsequently, to confirm and quantify the presence of opioids, samples of each of the matrices were subjected to solid-phase extraction and specific GC-MS analysis. The case presented demonstrates the possibility of drug detection in an exhumed body that has been buried for 1 year, despite the problems of quantitative interpretation of the data, and that toxicological results could be useful along with other forensic evidence.

© 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

alternative matrices; exhumed body; forensic science; forensic toxicology; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; medicolegal investigation