Development of a New Methodology for Extraction and Analysis of Pesticides, Drugs, Heavy Metals and Various Toxins from Viscera Samples

Abstract

Viscera analysis plays a major and important role in forensics, Scientists use their own tried and tested methods to avoid excess time consumption and errors, to analyse the viscera samples for the presence of various illicit drugs, pesticides, heavy metals, or any other poisonous substances that may be the reason of death. In this article, the current scenario of viscera handling in forensic science laboratories in India is mentioned in detail with a step-by-step procedure. Tests for phosphine and various pesticides are performed in the stomach and small intestine. Drugs are extracted according to different procedures depending upon the affinity of the drug i.e., acidic, basic, or neutral. After that, Tests for drugs and other toxic substances are usually performed in blood, liver, spleen, and kidney. Blood usually comes in the third jar, and is tested for drugs, alcohol, and maybe for pesticides, phosphine and for any other suspected toxin. Viscera sample needs to be digested before the analysis of heavy metals. Any part of the viscera can be digested and tested for heavy metal. Usually, a mixture of all the viscera parts is digested and analysed. The techniques mentioned in this article are rigorously used in the chemistry and toxicology division in forensic laboratories in India.