The improvements in forensic toxicology and its role in the forensic process (I)

Abstract

The scope of forensic toxicology services has currently become technically and intellectually so demanding. As our society progresses, it becomes more complex, and crime takes place in different ways. The development of highly sensitive detection techniques and appropriate data processing has enabled the analysis of a wide range of compounds, now in a wider range of matrices. Multiple associated technological innovations such as artificial intelligence or chemometric techniques, provide forensic toxicologists with different tools to facilitate the management of a multitude of generated data, or to devise a more effective analytical strategy.

The role of forensic toxicology in the forensic process is reliable and relevant for the resolution of criminal cases but it is still in development to minimize or overcome its deficiencies. In this context, it is necessary to work with a qualified system able to ensure the reliability of the results and that guarantees security to the judicial system and therefore to the citizen.