Hair analysis
Hair is a unique specimen. It is the only sample which can provide a reliable drug history for the weeks and months prior to sample collection.
The innovative method used at the Toxicology Unit was developed by Dr. Rosa Cordero, a leading expert in the field of hair analysis and interpretation of the results.
Analysis of hair is now a well established technique. It is being used increasingly in crime investigation and Coroner's toxicology.
The method:
Provides evidence for long-term drug use in cases including:
- Establishing a history of chronic drug use.
- Revealing drug abstinence.
- Demonstrating tolerance or lack of it.
- Compliance with medication.
- Deaths due to long term cocaine use and its role in: depression and suicide, sudden unexplained death and excited delirium.
- Drug investigations: to show whether or not an individual was a drug user.
- Uses Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (the gold-standard identification technique in the forensic profession).
- Identifies and quantitates specific drugs of abuse.
- The quantitative results of 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) and morphine can be used to estimate heroin use as low or occasional use, regular or habitual use and heavy or excessive drug use.
- Simultaneously detects other drugs including antipyschotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and analgesics.
- The reported results are of a standard suitable for use in court.
The method has been fully validated and published in a peer reviewed journal:
- Cordero R, Paterson S. Simultaneous quantification of opiates, amphetamines, cocaine and metabolites and diazepam and metabolite in a single hair sample using GC-MS. Journal of Chromatography B, 2007; 850: 423-431
