Part IX: Poison Analysis

1. Poison Definition: a substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism, causes death or injury, especially one that kills by rapid action

2. Common Poison Sources:
1. Animals: jellyfish, scorpion, snakes, frogs
2. Plants: daffodil bulbs, monkshood roots, rhubarb leaf blade, yew berries, hemlock
3. Household Cleaners: antifreeze, bleach, mothballs
4. Medicines: One can be poisoned by many medicines if they are used in incorrect doses.
5. Food: Food may be infested with bacteria, viruses, or parasites, along with improperly prepared exotic foods.

3. How do crime labs handle poison cases?
Forensic toxicologists handle these cases by analyzing biological specimens and determining what substances have been ingested, along with the amount of it.

4. What are some signs of poisoning?
1. enlarged or shrinking pupils
2. drooling or an excessively dry mouth
3. increased or decreased heart rate
4. increased or decreased breathing rate
5. pain
6. hyperactivity
7. sluggishness or deliriousness

Lab
In this study's lab section, there was once again six stations with several substances set up at each of them. We had to use assorted materials to determine which one contained a given poison.
1. Metal Poisons:
Unknown 1: This was found to contain lead (Pb) because it formed a yellow precipitate when KI was added.
Unknown 2:  It turned blood red after adding KCSN, indicating it had iron (Fe) in it.
Unknown 3: This contained no chromium (Cr), iron, or lead.

2. Sugar:
If one of these had contained sugar, which none of them did, it would have turned purple with purple Benedict solution.

3. Household Ammonia:
Unknown 1: This contained ammonia because it had a pH over 7 (11), had an odor, and turned purple-pink with phenolphthalein.
Unknown 2 and 3: These both had a pH of 8, no odor, and the former was clear with phenolphthalein, while the later turned yellow.

4. Aspirin:
Unknown 1: We knew this one contained aspirin because it had a pH below 7 (1.5) and turned yellow with bromothymol blue.
Unknown 2: This did not have aspirin because its pH was 8 and turned blue with bromothymol blue.
Unknown 3: This did not have aspirin either because its pH was 6 and became green with bromothymol blue.

5. Cyanide:
Because Unknown 2 turned blood-red when iron was added, we knew it contained cyanide, which Unknown 1 and 3 did not.

6. Iodine:
Since Unknowns 1 and 2 stayed their original colors when starch was added (yellow and red respectively), they did not contain iodine. Unknown 3, on the other hand, changed to blue-black from colorless, meaning iodine was a component in it.