Attempted Murder with Pancuronium
Briglia, EJ
Chief of Toxicology Laboratory, forensic scientists, and director of laboratories, respectively, Division of Medical-Legal Investigations and Forensic Sciences, County of Suffolk, Hauppauge, NY.

Davis, PL
Chief of Toxicology Laboratory, forensic scientists, and director of laboratories, respectively, Division of Medical-Legal Investigations and Forensic Sciences, County of Suffolk, Hauppauge, NY.

Katz, M
Chief of Toxicology Laboratory, forensic scientists, and director of laboratories, respectively, Division of Medical-Legal Investigations and Forensic Sciences, County of Suffolk, Hauppauge, NY.

Dal Cortivo, LA
Chief of Toxicology Laboratory, forensic scientists, and director of laboratories, respectively, Division of Medical-Legal Investigations and Forensic Sciences, County of Suffolk, Hauppauge, NY.


Abstract
A nurse was accused of attempting to murder her anesthesiologist husband on two occasions by administering to him a neuromuscular blocking agent. In both episodes, urine specimens were obtained from the victim shortly after the suspected assaults. The samples were initially tested fluorometrically using Rose Bengal dye as a pairing agent. Both were presumptively positive for pancuronium. Confirmation of these results was achieved by pairing the drug with potassium iodide, extracting the complex, and submitting the extract to thin-layer chromatography (TLC) cleanup, elution at the appropriate retardation factor (Rf), and, finally, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis in the selected ion monitoring mode. The two quaternary amines of pancuronium appear to undergo pyrolytic N-demethylation in the injection port to yield in an entity amenable to capillary column gas chromatography. The mass spectrum of the compound consists of a base peak of m/z 322, with additional fragments of 292, 323, 338, 396, and 397 m/z, each of which was monitored. The confirmed positive findings were instrumental in adjudicating the case.

Keywords:
forensic science, homicide, pancuronium, toxicology

Paper ID: JFS356901468

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Author Briglia EJ, Davis PL, Katz M, Dal Cortivo LA Title Attempted Murder with Pancuronium Symposium , Committee on