Toxicology

Toxicology

Analytical toxicology deals with the detection, identification and quantification of drugs and other foreign compounds (xenobiotics) and their metabolites in biological samples. It is important that the expert working in the field of analytical toxicology has sufficient clinical and forensic toxicology knowledge in diagnosis, laboratory management and evaluation of the results. Moreover, the expert must be able to communicate effectively with clinicians and judicial authorities during the interpretation of analysis results.

Analytical toxicology deals with the detection, identification and quantification of drugs and other foreign compounds (xenobiotics) and their metabolites in biological samples. It is important that the expert working in the field of analytical toxicology has sufficient clinical and forensic toxicology knowledge in diagnosis, laboratory management and evaluation of the results. Moreover, the expert must be able to communicate effectively with clinicians and judicial authorities during the interpretation of analysis results.

The Madame Lafarge case in 1840 was the first case in which chemical tests were used for the forensic identification of poison and intoxication. In the case of Madame Lafarge, who was tried for murdering her husband by poisoning him with arsenic, Orfila Mathieu, a chemistry teacher, had the body exhumed and found traces of arsenic in some organs when she examined it.

Over the last 25 years, there have been many advances in the reliability of analytical results in the detection, identification and measurement of drugs and other poisons in biological fluids. Some of these tests are applied for clinical purposes but require high analytical reliability because they may have medicolegal consequences. However, plasma drug level measurements (TDM) to support treatment, addictive substance analyzes in addiction treatment, and occupational chemical exposure tests for occupational health purposes have increased.

The main application areas of Analytical Toxicology are; Clinical Toxicology, Forensic Toxicology, Addictive Substance Screening, TDM, Occupational and Environmental Toxicology.