The detection of toxic substances in entomological specimens

Candela, R.; Aventaggiato, Lucia

doi:10.1007/s004140000181

Cited by 76 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The toxicological analyses used for insect materials are generally the same as those used for human tissues and biological fluids Introna et al 2001;Gagliano Candela and Aventaggiato 2001) and include radioimmunoassay (RIA), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and highperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drug analysis in blowfly larvae and in human tissues: a comparative study

et al. 2004

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The present study investigates the correlation between concentrations of drugs in human tissues and Diptera larvae feeding on these tissues. Samples of liver were taken from 18 cases in which preliminary toxicological screening indicated the presence of drugs. Blowfly larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were reared on these samples and subsequently analyzed for drug content. Toxicological analyses were carried out using ONLINE Abuscreen (Roche) and GC/MS for available body fluids (blood, urine and bile) as well as liver samples and maggots. All drugs detected in human tissues were also detected in insect specimens. Opiates, cocaine and barbiturates as well as some antidepressants (clomipramine, amitryptiline, nortryptiline, levomepromezine and tioridazine) were observed. Comparisons of drug concentrations between those in human tissues and blowfly larvae showed different patterns of distribution that may be attributed to differences in physiology. Results confirm the reliability of entomological specimens for qualitative analyses, although quantitative extrapolations are unreliable. All xenobiotics detected were in higher concentrations in human tissues than in maggots. Concentrations in post-feeding maggots were significantly lower than for feeding maggots, suggesting that the feeding state of maggots may affect toxicological analyses as they metabolize and eliminate drugs during development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drug analysis in blowfly larvae and in human tissues: a comparative study

et al. 2004

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“…the study of drugs in insects, has become an established approach [3,4,5,6]. Whereas previously published methods have required pools of insects in order to achieve detectable levels of toxic substances [7,8,9], we have developed a LC-MS/MS method with sufficient sensitivity to allow the quantitation of benzodiazepines in single larvae or empty puparia [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toxicological data and growth characteristics of single post-feeding larvae and puparia of Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) obtained from a controlled nordiazepam study

Pien¹,

Laloup

Pipeleers-Marichal³

et al. 2004

Int J Legal Med

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Larvae of the Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were reared on artificial food spiked with different concentrations of nordiazepam. The dynamics of the accumulation and conversion of nordiazepam to its metabolite oxazepam in post-feeding larvae and empty puparia were studied. Analysis was performed using a previously developed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. This method enabled the detection and quantitation of nordiazepam and oxazepam in single larvae and puparia. Both drugs could be detected in post-feeding larvae and empty puparia. In addition, the influence of nordiazepam on the development and growth of post-feeding larvae was studied. However, no major differences were observed for these parameters between the larvae fed on food containing nordiazepam and the control group. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of nordiazepam and its metabolite, oxazepam, in single Calliphora vicina larvae and puparia.

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“…Various toxicological substances have been isolated from dipteran puparia [5,10,18], and their presence would provide strong evidence of origin from human remains. The absence from a pupa or puparium of toxicological substances found in the body should not, however, be used to identify it as a contaminant because it has been shown that levels of certain drugs can drop precipitously in pupariating C. vicina [19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fly pupae and puparia as potential contaminants of forensic entomology samples from sites of body discovery

et al. 2005

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Fly pupae and puparia may contaminate forensic entomology samples at death scenes if they have originated not from human remains but from animal carcasses or other decomposing organic material. These contaminants may erroneously lengthen post-mortem interval estimates if no pupae or puparia are genuinely associated with the body. Three forensic entomology case studies are presented, in which contamination either occurred or was suspected. In the first case, blow fly puparia collected near the body were detected as contaminants because the species was inactive both when the body was found and when the deceased was last sighted reliably. The second case illustrates that contamination may be suspected at particularly squalid death scenes because of the likely presence of carcasses or organic material. The third case involves the presence at the body discovery site of numerous potentially contaminating animal carcasses. Soil samples were taken along transects to show that pupae and puparia were clustered around their probable sources.

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The detection of toxic substances in entomological specimens

Cited by 76 publications

References 23 publications

Drug analysis in blowfly larvae and in human tissues: a comparative study

Drug analysis in blowfly larvae and in human tissues: a comparative study

Toxicological data and growth characteristics of single post-feeding larvae and puparia of Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) obtained from a controlled nordiazepam study

Fly pupae and puparia as potential contaminants of forensic entomology samples from sites of body discovery

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