On Monday night, ESR senior scientist Rosy Moar came and gave a talk about Forensic Toxicology in New Zealand. The Environmental & Scientific Research Institute is a Crown Entity, largely funded by payment for the work it does for governmental entities. She explained about the work ESR performed – in environmental, health and forensic sectors - and its role as a Crown Research Institute. The Forensic Toxicology unit is based out in Porirua, just below the Kenepuru Hospital.
The Forensic Toxicology laboratories perform analysis for the whole of New Zealand – for the Coronial system, NZ Police – for both criminal and Land Transport Act proceedings, Aviation security and any private person/company who requires analytical assistance. Analysis extends to testing for dangerous substances – including poisons and material that may be used in acts of biochemical terrorism. We were shown images of some of the sophisticated equipment that are used to analyse a vast array of biological samples – such as blood, vitreous humour, liver and brain. (Eyes are particularly useful when investigating for substances in persons deceased for some time as they are sealed capsules the material in which does not deteriorate as fast as other parts of the body). Rosy explained how analysis was performed based on case circumstances, with some cases requiring basic analysis and reporting, and others having the levels of drugs determined and then interpreting what those levels may mean i.e. therapeutic, toxic, fatal. Providing answers for whānau and the Coroner is important – and sometimes the absence of illicit drugs, prescription medicines can be just as important for an investigation.
The number of cases analysed at the laboratory each year was surprisingly high – for example more than 3000 drunk driver and more than 1500 drug driver samples analysed last year. We were warned that there are no hard and fast guidelines on what level of alcohol consumption is within legal limits – body size, gender, historic drinking habits, and collateral food consumption all affect the rate of alcohol metabolism.
ESR scientists operate under a heavy and wide ranging workload commonly under urgency - with all the analysis work for law enforcement, to provide answers on otherwise unexplained deaths, and to identify potentially harmful substance in order to keep all of New Zealand safe, performed by a team of just 9 senior scientists. Thank you Rosy for a very interesting presentation.