Hair Analysis in Forensic Toxicology: An Updated Review with a Special Focus on Pitfalls

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (36) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Kintz
Keyword(s):  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Special Focus

scholarly journals Hair Analysis to Evaluate Polydrug Use

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 972
Author(s):  
Giovanna Tassoni ◽  
Marta Cippitelli ◽  
Gianmario Mietti ◽  
Alice Ceroni ◽  
Erika Buratti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Frequent Pattern ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Polydrug Use ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Large Populations ◽  
Hair Matrix ◽  
The University

Polydrug use is a frequent pattern of consumption in Europe. This behavior has mainly been analyzed within restricted groups; more rarely in large populations. Current polydrug use is less studied than simultaneous use. This study focused on the concurrent assumption of polydrug among drivers using hair matrix. Hair matrix, for its biological characteristics, allows to identify illicit drug use more often than other matrices, i.e., urine, and it provides information on the long-term use of them. Hair samples of subjects positive for opiates, cocaine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) collected by the forensic toxicology laboratory of the University of Macerata in the period 2010–2020, were analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Our results evidenced that a significant part of the examined population (12.15%) used polydrug. A strong predominance of males over females was evident. Polydrug users were more frequently young people. The abuse of two substances was predominant. Cocaine and Δ9-THC was the most common combination, followed by cocaine and morphine, and morphine and Δ9-THC. The timeframe of polydrug use was also analyzed. Our study shows that polydrug use is a very frequent behavior, and that hair analysis may be a powerful tool to obtain objective biological information of this complex phenomenon.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Metabolite-to-Drug Ratios of Pharmaceuticals in Hair for Forensic Investigations

Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 686
Author(s):  
Karen Rygaard ◽  
Kristian Linnet ◽  
Sys Johansen
Keyword(s):  
Antipsychotic Drugs ◽  
Drug Exposure ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Antidepressant Drugs ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Interindividual Differences ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Detection Window

After ingestion, consumed drugs and their metabolites are incorporated into hair, which has a long detection window, ranging up to months. Therefore, in addition to conventional blood and urine analyses, hair analysis can provide useful information on long-term drug exposure. Meta-bolite-to-drug (MD) ratios are helpful in interpreting hair results, as they provide useful information on drug metabolism and can be used to distinguish drug use from external contamination, which is otherwise a limitation in hair analysis. Despite this, the MD ratios of a wide range of pharmaceuticals have scarcely been explored. This review aims to provide an overview of MD ratios in hair in a range of pharmaceuticals of interest to forensic toxicology, such as antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, benzodiazepines, common opiates/opioids, etc. The factors influencing the ratio were evaluated. MD ratios of 41 pharmaceuticals were reported from almost 100 studies. MD ratios below 1 were frequently reported, indicating higher concentrations of the parent pharmaceutical than of its metabolite in hair, but wide-ranging MD ratios of the majority of pharmaceuticals were found. Intra- and interindividual differences and compound properties were variables possibly contributing to this. This overview presents guidance for future comparison and evaluation of MD ratios of pharmaceuticals.

Toxicological hair analysis: Pre-analytical, analytical and interpretive aspects

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Himanshu Khajuria ◽  
Biswa Prakash Nayak ◽  
Ashish Badiye
Keyword(s):  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Hair Analysis ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Drug Binding ◽  
Drug Detection ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Drug Incorporation

Background and aims Hair analysis for drug detection is one of the widely accepted imperative techniques in the field of forensic toxicology. The current study was designed to investigate the efficacy of chromatography for detection of drugs of abuse in hair. Method A comprehensive review of articles from last two decades on hair analyses via PubMed and similar resources was performed. Issues concerning collection, decontamination and analytical techniques are summarised. Physiochemical nature of hair, mechanism of drug incorporation and its stability in hair are briefly discussed. Furthermore, various factors affecting results and interpretation are elucidated. Result A hair sample is chosen over traditional biological samples such blood, urine, saliva or tissues due to its inimitable ability to provide a longer time frame for drug detection. Its collection is almost non-invasive, less cumbersome and does not involve any specialised training/expertise. Recent advances in analytical technology have resulted in better sensitivity, reproducibility and accuracy, thus providing a new arena of scientific understanding and test interpretation. Conclusion Though recent studies have yielded many insights into drug binding and drug incorporation in hair, the major challenge in hair analysis lies in the interpretation of results, which may be affected by external contamination and thus lead to false-positives. Therefore, there is a need for more sensitive and selective analysis methods to be developed in order to minimise factors that induce the effect of melanin, age and so on, and this would certainly provide a new dimension to hair analysis and its applications.

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