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XXXV TIAFT Annual Meeting Drugs of Abuse and Testing
BLOOD 11-NOR-D-9-THC-COOH INVESTIGATION IN A FATAL WORKPLACE ACCIDENT

Mari F., Bonelli A., Bertol E.

Forensic Medicine Institute - Viale Morgagni 85, Florence, Italy


Case presentation. A male 19 years old, working in a plastics factory, was found at 8,30 a.m. in a pressing-machine provided with a weighing-traverse movement for plastic containers production. He was lying lifeless on his back: the machine protection panel was removed, probably to work easily.

Autopsy findings. Blood smearing on the face from nostrils; two excoriation areas shaped corresponding to the pressing-machine projections at both temple regions on the upper margin of the ear pavillons; fracture at the middle of cranial basis, from the two "rocca petrosa", with blood invasion of the brain ventricles.

Toxicological controls. Urines: screening (EMIT d.a.u. Assays): positive cannabinoid results; whole blood: confirmation of 11-nor-D-9-THC-COOH at 74.5 ng/mL. Analysis performed by solid-phase extraction procedure (ISOLUTE SPE Column for 11-nor-D-9-THC-COOH modified for whole blood samples); identification and quantitation of 11-nor-D-9-THC-COOH with a GC/MS system (HP 5890 GC with HP1 Capillary colum; MSD 5971A -acquiring: SIM mode - m/z 371.30 372.30 473.35 488.35 - HP Vectra 486/66 VL integrator with G 1039B MS chemstation software); standard ca1ibration curve: blood samples spiked to 40-80-120 ng/mL 11-nor-D-9-THC-COOH concentrations; blood and urine GC/MS analyses also showed the presence of caffeine, nicotine and cotinine.

Conclusions. Presence of 11-nor-D-9-THC-COOH in blood (74,5 ng/mL) suggested that the person was under the influence of this drug at the time of his accident in the workplace.

Drug testing is useful in public and private workplace settings for the prevention of accidents.

Oral Presentations Abstract 019

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