Hair Analysis in Clinical and Forensic Toxicology

Book excerpt: Hair Analysis in Clinical and Forensic Toxicology is an essential reference for toxicologists working with, and researching, hair analysis. The text presents a review of the most up-to-date analytical methods in toxicological hair analysis, along with state-of-the-art developments in the areas of hair physiology, sampling, and pre-treatments, as well as discussions of fundamental issues, applications, and results interpretation. Topics addressed include the diagnosis of chronic excessive alcohol drinking by means of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), the early detection of new psychoactive substances, including designer drugs, the development of novel approaches to screening tests based on mass spectrometry, and the detection of prenatal exposure to psychoactive substances from the analysis of newborn hair. - Unites an international team of leading experts to provide an update on the cutting-edge advances in the toxicological analysis of hair - Demonstrates toxicological techniques relating to a variety of scenarios and exposure types - Ideal resource for the further study of the psychoactive substances, drug-facilitated crimes, ecotoxicology, analytical toxicology, occupational toxicology, toxicity testing, and forensic toxicology - Includes detailed instructions for the collection, preparation, and handling of hair, and how to best interpret results