forensics questions

[Guest kalen3285]

Hi,

 

I'm a junior in high school and new to this forum. In our chem 2 class we are doing a forensics presentation. We've been given two questions:

 

1. You've just received 10 cc's of a fluid that was extracted from the liver of a recent victim. You are looking for signs of heavy metal poisoning that may appear to be from a food source what do you find?

 

2. A deadbeat dad has been forced by family court to take random drug tests. It is suspected he has been somehow beating the system. You have received randomly plucked pieces of hair, each about 4 inches long and relinquished in court. What drugs might you find evidence for?

 

Besides finding conclusions, we need to research tests that can be used to determine the conclusions. I was wondering if anyone knew what kinds of tests would needed to be performed for each and where I can find information about them.

 

Thanks.

[juan]

for the food poisoning it could be mercury (Hg) found in fish, and you could run it through a chromatograph or spectrometer.

[wolfson]

lol didnt see the questions i am studying forensic science.

 

Answers:

 

1. Mercury is a persistent heavy metal, processed into a liquid from mined cinnabar, that accumulates in water and in the tissues of humans, fish and animals, found using SPS spectrometer(s)

 

2. Usually cannabis but can detect drugs for pervious 90 day period, using adavnced techniques, it can also be used to dectect congenative disease.