Sandbox DW1 002

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The Chemistry of Drugs in Forensic Science


Drugs vs. Medicines

Drugs - Natural or synthetic compounds potentially used for physiological and psychological effects.

Medicinal Uses - to correct or help some physiological or psychological problem
Drug Abuse - chemicals used/taken for purposes for which they were never intended.

Metabolic Poisons affect Biochemical Mechanisms. Cabon monoxide gas is an example of a metabolic poison. Carbon monoxide gas is a colorless, odorless, and toxic gas which can be associated with suicide or homocide related deaths.

Carbon monoxide gas binds to iron in hemoglobin and is very slowly released into the blood stream. It displaces oxygen and forms carboxyhemoglobin which is 140 times more stable than oxyhemoglobin.

  • Breathing 0.1% CO in air for 4 hours converts 60% of hemoglobin to carboxyhemoglobin!
  • 200 million tons of CO is produced by incomplete combustion in US annually
  • Not a cumulative poison (given time, the free hemoglobin is released)

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1. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a metabolic poison because it

a) binds to the lung tissue preventing oxygen transfer
b) prevents enzyme function
c) displaces oxygen from hemoglobin
d) destroys blood cells
e) none of the above

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