The Toxpod

We chat with Jenny Button, Deputy Director of Chiron, about the use of reference standards in forensic toxicology.

Jenny's written a book chapter about all this - it's really good! Here's a link.

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The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

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Tim chats with Marthe Vandeputte about the current and potential uses of activity based assays in forensic toxicology. Links to a couple of Marthe's papers on the topic are below:

Validation of activity-based screening for synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists in a large set of serum samples

In vitro functional characterization of a panel of non-fentanyl opioid new psychoactive substances

Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

We look at 5 recent publications in the field of toxicology.

1. Karoly, H. et al. Effects of high-potency cannabis on psychomotor performance in frequent cannabis users. (2020) Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, X:X, 1-9
2. Prado, E. et al. Metabolism of synthetic cathinones through the zebrafish water tank model: a promising tool for forensic toxicology laboratories. (2021) Forensic Toxicology, 39: 73-88
3. Chu, M. et al. Time-dependent changes in THC concentrations in deceased persons. (2021) Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 45:1-7
4. Van Schalkwyk, F. et al. Fatal pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning of infants caused by adulterated Senecio coronatus. (2021) Forensic Science International, 320:110680
5. Norman, C. et al. Large-scale evaluation of ion mobility spectrometry for the
   rapid detection of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists in
   infused papers in prisons. (2021) Drug Testing and Analysis, 13:644–663

Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

We chat with Hilary Hamnett about the complex issue of cognitive bias in forensic toxicology.

If you'd like to hear more from Hilary about cognitive bias, you can contact her at [email protected]


Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

How confident are you that your analytical methods won't miss a target analyte? In the first episode of season 4, we discuss the potential for false negative results in forensic toxicology. 

Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

We look at 5 recent publications in the field of toxicology.

1. Costa, C. et al. Distinguishing between contact and administration of heroin from a single fingerprint using high resolution mass spectrometry. (2020) Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 44: 218-225
2. Kaufmann, A. et al. Partially overlapping sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra: A methodology to improve the spectra quality of veterinary drugs present at low concentrations in highly complex biological matrices. (2020) Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 34: e8638
3. Kraemer, M. et al. Detectability of various cannabinoids in plasma samples of cannabis users: Indicators of recent cannabis use? (2019) Drug Testing and Analysis. 11:1498-1506
4. Margalho, C. et al. Determination of new psychoactive substances in whole blood using microwave fast derivatization and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. (2020) Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 44:92-102
5. Gundersen, P. et al. Retrospective screening of synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic opioids and designer benzodiazepines in data files from forensic post mortem samples analysed by UHPLC-QTOF-MS from 2014 to 2018. (2020) Forensic Science International. 311: 1-11

Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

Tim chats with Alberto Salomone about workplace testing, hair analysis, and new psychoactive substances.


Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

Peter chats with Richard Bade about the advantages and challenges of wastewater analysis.


Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

Tim chats with Michelle Peace about her current research on vaping, and her experiences in the field of forensic toxicology.


Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!

We channel our sports withdrawal into a toxicology related draft.

Thanks to Michaela Kenneally and Stephen Trobbiani for participating in this episode.


Contact us at [email protected]

Find out more about TIAFT at www.tiaft.org

The Toxpod is a production of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. The opinions expressed by the hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TIAFT.

You can send us a text message using this link!