Determination of opiates in postmortem bone and bone marrow.

Bone and bone marrow of a fatally poisoned heroin addict were analyzed by FPIA and GC-FID, immediately after death. A piece of the bone from the above case was buried for 1 year and analyzed by the same procedure. Morphine was detected in all specimens at concentrations of 195, 340 and 155 ng/g for bone marrow, bone and buried bone, respectively. A loss of 54.4% of morphine concentration was observed during 1-year burial. Such findings have potential forensic value in cases of skeletonized remains.     

Mother-fetus postmortem toxicologic analysis in a fatal overdose with mecarbam

A suicidal poisoning committed by a 19-year-old pregnant woman, who ingested an unknown quantity of an aqueous solution mecarbam (trade name includes 'Murfotox') containing 68 g/l of S-(N-ethoxycarbonyl-N-methylcarbamoyl methyl) O,O-diethyl phosphorodithioate (C.R. Worthing (Ed.), The Pesticide Manual, 6th end, BCPC, 1980) is described. The pesticide crossed the placental barrier and caused the death of the fetus. Toxicologic analysis of mecarbam in several tissues and fluids of mother-fetus revealed its distribution. The analysis was performed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-liquid chromatography (GC). The case described serves to point out the ease with which mecarbam crossed the placental barrier, its high concentration in the lungs and the considerably higher concentrations in fetal than in mother's tissues.     

Amphetamine derivative related deaths in northern Greece

Until 1997, only one amphetamine related derivatives (AMPs) fatality had been reported in Greece. Since then, amphetamine (AMP) or AMPs have been found in seven out of 1,500 post-mortem toxicological cases. The cause and manner of death of these seven cases were: 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (MDEA) poisoning (n = 1), drowning in water (n = 4), cranial injuries caused by a traffic accident (n = 1) and heart failure (n = 1). In the case where the use of AMP or AMPs was considered, the immediate cause of death post-mortem toxicological analysis revealed 2 microg/ml MDMA and 0.7 microg/ml MDEA in blood. MDMA was identified in two cases of drowning (2 microg/ml in blood in the first case and 1.7 microg/g in liver in the second case) and in the traffic accident case (0.4 microg/g in liver). Methamphetamine was detected in two cases of drowning (2.5 microg/ml in blood in the first case and 6 microg/g in liver in the second case). AMP was found in the heart failure case (0.2 microg/g in liver). Alcohol was present, together with AMP or AMPs, in four cases. These findings indicate an increase in the illegal abuse of AMPs in Greece. Because of this, we now routinely screen for AMPs.     

Magnesium, calcium and zinc fluctuations on skin induced injuries in correlation with time of induction

In the present study, fluctuations of trace elements Mg, Ca and Zn concentrations with time on skin-induced injuries was investigated. To accomplish this, 144 animals (pig) aged between 5-6 months scheduled for food provision process (slaughter) were used. At the gluteus area, injuries were induced prior to slaughter at intervals of 30 s, 30 min, 1, 2, 4, 8 h. Local anaesthesia and cold therapy for prompt relief of pain (ethylchloride, C2H5Cl) was applied. Postmortem tissue excision in and around the injured site was promptly performed. The tissue obtained was segmented into three zones of equal distances (2 cm) in between and weighed 3 g wet weight. Tissue specimens were analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for the three elements. The results were correlated with time of injury. Suggestive alterations in trace elements mean concentrations with time were confirmed. The ratios of the mean in twos (Ca/Zn, Ca/Mg, Mg/Zn) versus time were graphed. Effectively, the curves achieved by analysing postmortem tissues, serve to estimate the time of an injury induced in vivo.     

Adult sudden death caused by aspiration of chewing gum

A case of a fatal foreign material aspiration is presented in the following text. A 24-year-old white male died suddenly. A piece of chewing gum lodged in a pool of frothy fluid was revealed at autopsy. Microscopic examinations revealed atelectasia emphysema, eosinophilic exudate and empty spaces. Blood and urine samples were analyzed, for alcohol and drug use by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) on an Abbott AXSYM system. No alcohol or other drugs were detected in blood or urine.