Forensische Chemie heute

Abstract

Scope and importance of forensic chemistry are discussed, especially its role in the detection of intentional or accidentia! cases of poisoning. The number of potential poisons has greatly increased, due to our modern way of life, the development of industry and the availability of modern drugs. To cope with the rapidly increasing demand in regard to number of poisoning cases to be solved, diversity of poisons to be searched for and request for quantitative results even at very low concentrations, forensic chemistry has received powerful help by the introduction of modern analytical techniques such as thin layer chromatography and electrophoresis, gas chromatography, emission and absorption spectrophotometry, enzymatic analytical tests, isotope dilution methods and neutron activation analysis.
Examples of analytical investigations using such methods are discussed, including determination of chloral hydrate by gas chromatography, spectrophotometric control of carbon monoxide intoxication and forensic analysis of blood alcohol.