| Category of Poison | Examples | Technical Characteristics | Forensic Analysis Methods | Investigative Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metallic Poisons | Arsenic, Lead, Mercury |
– Arsenic: Odorless, tasteless, mimics food poisoning – Lead: Accumulates in bones and tissues – Mercury: Affects the nervous system |
– Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) – Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) – Colorimetric tests (e.g., Marsh test for arsenic) |
Used in homicides, accidental poisonings, and environmental toxicity cases |
| Plant Toxins | Aconite, Strychnine, Ricin |
– Aconite: Causes cardiac arrhythmia – Strychnine: Induces muscle spasms – Ricin: Inhibits protein synthesis |
– High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) – Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) – Immunoassay techniques |
Common in homicides and suicides; ricin is a bioterrorism agent |
| Animal Toxins | Snake venom, Scorpion venom, Tetrodotoxin |
– Snake venom: Neurotoxic or hemotoxic – Scorpion venom: Affects nervous system – Tetrodotoxin: Blocks sodium channels |
– Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) – Electrophoresis – Mass spectrometry |
Used in cases of animal bites, stings, or deliberate poisoning |
| Chemical Poisons | Cyanide, Organophosphates, Ethylene Glycol |
– Cyanide: Inhibits cellular respiration – Organophosphates: Inhibit acetylcholinesterase – Ethylene Glycol: Metabolizes to toxic oxalic acid |
– Gas Chromatography (GC) – Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) – Spectrophotometry |
Common in suicides, homicides, and accidental poisonings |
| Drugs as Poisons | Opioids, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines |
– Opioids: Depress the central nervous system – Barbiturates: Cause respiratory depression – Benzodiazepines: Sedative and hypnotic effects |
– Immunoassay screening – Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) – Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) |
Used in drug overdose cases, homicides, and drug-facilitated crimes |
| Bacterial Toxins | Botulinum toxin, Staphylococcal enterotoxins |
– Botulinum toxin: Causes paralysis – Staphylococcal enterotoxins: Induce food poisoning |
– Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) – Immunoassays – Mass spectrometry |
Used in cases of food poisoning and bioterrorism |
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