Hair sampling

In the modern forensic chemistry laboratory (Figure B) arsenic is detected by analysis of hair samples, where the element tends to concentrate in chronic arsenic poisoning. A single strand of hair is sufficient to establish the presence or absence of the element. The technique most commonly used is neutron activation analysis, described in Chapter 19. If the concentration found is greater than about 0.0003%, poisoning is indicated normal arsenic levels are much lower than this. 

Rib samples were obtained from 439 individuals. Preserved hair samples were obtained from 24 of these individuals. Sex and age at death... 

Trace element results for hair samples were widely variable and appear to reflect contamination. They are not reported here. 

Pretreatment of hair samples also includes an extraction, usually with an alkaline sodium hydroxide solution, followed by cleaning up with LLE with n-hexane/ethyl acetate. Instead of LLE, the employment of SPE is also possible. Furthermore, the solid phase microextraction (SPME) in combination with head-space analysis is usable [104-106]. In the case of using hair samples, possible external contamination (e.g., by passive smoking of Cannabis) has to be considered as false positive result. False positive results can be avoided by washing of the hair samples previous to extraction [107]. Storage of collected samples is another important fact that can cause false results in their content of A9-THC and metabolites [108-110]. 

Several factors must be considered when collecting samples, and in reporting resnlts of residue analysis sample collection location, whether the samples were taken from live versus dead specimens, how representative the sample residue is of internal mercnry levels, including corrsideration of sampling location within organs possible differences within and between clutches, locations (on the animal) from which feathers or hair samples were taken, and potential for exogenous contamination. 

Bonithon-Kopp et al. (1986b) investigated another potential marker for lead exposure. Maternal and infant hair lead levels, determined from hair samples taken at birth, were found to be correlated inversely with results on neurobehavioral tests (McCarthy Scales of Children s Abilities) when the children were tested at 6 years of age. Other studies have also reported associations between hair lead levels and behavioral or cognitive test scores, but measures of lead in hair may not accurately reflect internal body burden of lead, and such data should not be used to evaluate internal dose-response relationships (EPA 1986a). 

Research near Bangalore [35] into the effects of crude disposal processes on the environment and workers found elevated levels of trace elements Cu, Zn, In, Sn, Pb, and Bi in soil near informal recycling shops. Among the workers, hair samples held high levels of Cu, Sb, Bi, Cd, and Ag. 

This section will illustrate the MIP technique for sample preparation by presenting examples of diazepam and its metabolites in hair samples.177 An anti-diazepam molecularly imprinted polymer... 

The cartridge was preconditioned with 0.5 mL toluene and each of the above benzodiazepine solutions passed through it. Analytes retained on the MIP were eluted with 0.5 mL of 15% acetic acid in acetonitrile. Internal standard (corresponding deuterated benzodiazepine) was added and subjected to LC/MS/MS. The results obtained for recovery, limit of detection (LOD), and quantitation (LOQ) are shown in Table 1.22. The binding capacity of diazepam to the templated MIP was found to be 110 ng/mg polymer. The same results were obtained for postmortem hair samples. 

Musshoff, F., Lachenmeier, D.W., Kroener, L. and Madea, B. (2002) Automated headspace solid-phase dynamic extraction for the determination of amphetamines and synthetic designer drugs in hair samples. J. Chromatogr. A 958, 231-238. 

Of all animals hair samples of four different body areas (throat region, sternal region, lateral abdomen, ventral of the base of the tail) (Fig. 15.1) were taken using an electric hair-clipping device. Additionally, during one breeding season, swabs of the anal gland secretion were collected from 8 male and 7 female fossas. 

Sample material was obtained wearing single-use protective gloves. Both hair samples and anal swabs were collected into glass vials, thoroughly sealed and stored at -80 °C until analysis. 

To calculate the total amount of volatiles included in the hair samples from different body regions the area beneath all peaks was calculated using the GCM-SPostrunAnalysis software including all peaks above a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 1 (exceeding an area of 200.000 units). From those, 20 distinct peaks were selected for peak comparison and the area beneath the peak was used to evaluate the differences between sex and season. 

Fig. 15.2 Patterns of volatiles emitted from hairs during the breeding season. The comparison was carried out using SPME and GC-MS showing the total ion chromatograms (TIC) of four hair samples from one male including the throat region (a), the sternal region (b), the region of the lateral abdomen (c), and the tail region (d)...

McClean S, O Kane EJ, Smyth WR 2000. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric characterization of selected antipsychotic drugs and their detection and determination in human hair samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl 740 141. 

Figure 3.1 A hair sample from a suspected drug user is prepared for forensic analysis. As hair grows, it incorporates small amounts of chemicals that are produced when drugs are broken down in the body. To identify these drugs, the hair is first cut into pieces and soaked in a liquid solvent The solvent removes the traces of drug metabolites from the hair so that they can be identified by chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Once returned to the Station, the hair was sent to the University of Montana, where a laboratory analyzed the DNA in the hair to identify the species. A positive control, a sample of Canada lynx hair, was run in each test to verify that the test could detect the species, and water was rim in each test as a negative control. At the completion of each test, the extracted DNA samples were frozen, and hair samples were stored to permit checking any specific sample if questions arose.6... 

In 1999 and again in 2000, seven officials of the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sent Canada lynx hair samples to the laboratory with statements that the samples had been re-... 

In 2000, one of the participants, a biologist with the Forest Service, notified the field coordinator for the National Survey that a control sample had been submitted in connection with the survey for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. However, he did not identify which sample was the control. As a result, the laboratory and the Forest Service decided not to analyze the hair samples submitted as part of the 2000 survey for the region that included the Gifford Pinchot and the Wenatchee National Forests until the Forest Service completed an investigation and identified all of the unauthorized submissions.8... 

R. Malfi, Canada Lynx Survey Unauthorized Hair Samples Submitted for Analysis (GAO-02-496T) (Washington, D.C. Government Accounting Office, March 6,2002). 

Anomalously high Ca concentrations in hair samples (up to 8285 (xgg-1) which correlate with high P concentrations (up to 4720 jxg g-1) from a group of women from Rio de Janeiro were detected by ICP-MS measurements.87 These abnormal hair compositions were related to endocrinological pathologies affecting calcium/bone metabolism. Very low Ca concentrations were observed in older women and were related to senile osteoporosis.87... 

P. Bennejo-Barrera, O. Muniz-Naveiro, A. Moreda-Pifieiro and A. Bermejo-Barrera, Experimental designs in the optimisation of ultrasonie bath-acid-leaehing proeedures for the determination of traee elements in human hair samples by atomie absorption spectrometry, Forensic Sci. Int., 107(1-3), 2000, 105-120. 

This recent work is a preliminary study to compare MISPE with classical SPE for determination of benzodiazepines from hair samples for forensic purposes. Benzodiazepines are common prescription tranquilizers. They have also been widely abused and have contributed to many drug-related deaths. 

Anderson RA et al (2008) Comparison of molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) with classical solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the detection of benzodiazepines in post-mortem hair samples. Forensic Sci Int 174(1) 40 16... 

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