Possibility of Drug-Distribution Measurement in the Hair of Drowned Bodies: Evaluation of Drug Stability in Water-Soaked Hair Using Micro-Segmental Analysis

October 2022 in “ International Journal of Legal Medicine ”

Kenji Kuwayama, Hajime Miyaguchi, Tatsuyuki Kanamori, Kenji Tsujikawa, Tadashi Yamamuro, Hiroki Segawa, Yuki Okada, Yuko Iwata

hair drug stability micro-segmental analysis divalent ions Ca2+ Mg2+ forensic toxicology

TLDR Drugs in drowned bodies' hair remain stable in natural water, aiding forensic analysis.

The study investigated the stability of drugs in water-soaked hair to assess the feasibility of measuring drug distribution in the hair of drowned bodies using micro-segmental analysis. Hair samples from drug users were soaked in various solutions for up to 2 months. It was found that drug content decreased by up to 5% in solutions without divalent ions but remained stable in solutions with ions like Ca2+ and Mg2+. Since natural waters contain these ions, drugs in hair were not significantly washed out, supporting the use of this method in forensic toxicology to assess drug intake history in drowned individuals.

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