Forensic science international最新文献

{"title":"Identification of deceased. Interpol definitions versus police routines in Denmark.","authors":"Anja Skov, Kristine Boisen Olsen, Niels Lynnerup, Seija Ylijoki-Sørensen","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112588","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Internationally accepted primary methods of identification include forensic odontology, fingerprinting and DNA analysis. Visual identification and secondary methods of identification based on photographs, description, personal characteristics, and belongings are considered less reliable. In Denmark, the police are responsible for identifying a deceased. The identification of an unknown deceased is important not only for the next-of-kin but also for the society due to ethical and legal reasons. The aim of this study was to examine which identification methods are used by the police when a forensic autopsy is performed. Autopsy and police reports from 591 deaths, where a medico-legal autopsy was performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine at University of Copenhagen in 2020, were investigated. No bodies remained unidentified. Our results showed that the police considered identification assured in 93,4 % of the cases, while in 6,6 % of the cases there were initially doubts about the identity of the deceased. The most used method of identification was visual identification, primarily made by relatives or based on photographs of the deceased. This also included cases with putrefaction, mummification or burns. Primary methods of identification were only used in 4,4 % of the cases and only in two-thirds of the cases with doubtful identity. The use of less reliable methods can potentially lead to errors in identification. We suggest that primary methods of identification should be used more routinely.</p>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"376 ","pages":"112588"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144816178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review and agenda of Digital Forensics education and training","authors":"Edson OliveiraJr ,&nbsp;Avelino F. Zorzo","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background:</h3><div>Digital Forensics (DF) has become increasingly relevant in cybercrime investigations, yet its educational foundations remain fragmented and inconsistently structured.</div></div><div><h3>Methods:</h3><div>We conducted a systematic mapping study of 49 primary studies on DF education and training, examining course scope, subareas, teaching methodologies, syllabi, materials, infrastructure, assessment practices, and reported challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Results:</h3><div>The findings reveal a highly uneven landscape. While undergraduate and graduate programs dominate, professional training is comparatively underexplored. Active and hands-on methodologies are emphasized, but few studies provide explicit objectives, standardized curricula, or openly shared resources. Emerging domains such as cloud, mobile, and IoT forensics remain underrepresented, and guidelines for laboratory deployment and assessment practices are rarely documented.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion:</h3><div>To address these gaps, we propose a research agenda emphasizing standard knowledge baselines, virtualization of labs, broader dissemination of training practices, open educational resources, expansion into new DF subareas, and the adoption of rigorous, reproducible experimental approaches. These actions aim to strengthen the consistency, practice-orientation, and scientific rigor of DF education and training.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112655"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interpretation of GSR evidence at activity level: Feasible or impossible?","authors":"Emmanuelle Charlot,&nbsp;Corina Kukurin,&nbsp;Cornelis J.M. van der Ham,&nbsp;Amalía Stamouli","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interpretation methods for forensic evidence have been an area of great interest within the forensic community for decades, with a more recent focus on activity level methods of interpretation. The fundamentals of evaluative reporting and research papers addressing frameworks for probabilistic modeling of gunshot residue (GSR) evidence as well as variables influencing GSR interpretation, such as transfer and contamination, are summarized in this review. The implications and challenges associated with the projected shift to non-traditional (NT) ammunition are also explored. This narrative/scoping review aims to provide an overview of the current state of activity level interpretation of GSR evidence and identify priorities for focus in future research. Although of high probative value, activity level interpretation of gunshot residue evidence has been applied to a limited extent in casework due to challenges inherent to this type of evidence and probabilistic modeling. The imminent transition to NT ammunition within the European Union will require a significant reimagination of GSR analysis and interpretation. While much work still needs to be undertaken before activity level interpretation of GSR can be routinely implemented in forensic casework, the groundwork has been laid out in the literature reviewed and this review can serve as a point of reference in establishing a standardized practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112682"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stability in question? A preliminary ddPCR-based study on the stability of 14 miRNAs in five forensic body fluids","authors":"Suyu Li ,&nbsp;Jing Liu ,&nbsp;Haowen Song ,&nbsp;Zichen Yan ,&nbsp;Minxiao Hui ,&nbsp;Mengyao Zhao ,&nbsp;Bin Cong ,&nbsp;Zheng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as one of the most valuable biomarkers in forensic applications owing to their biological information (e.g., tissue-specific expression) and high stability—an enabling property that preserves their utility in challenging forensic samples. While previous studies have demonstrated that the quality and degradation of mRNA and lncRNA can significantly affect gene expression profiling, the degradation dynamics of miRNAs in forensic body fluids remain underexplored. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), with its high sensitivity and precision, enables the detection of low-abundance targets and subtle changes in gene expression, thus providing a robust platform for analyzing RNA degradation patterns. In this preliminary study, we utilized RNase A digestion across time gradients to simulate varying degrees of RNA degradation in five forensically relevant body fluids. Using ddPCR, we investigated the degradation patterns and influencing factors of 14 miRNAs previously proposed for body fluid identification. Most miRNAs exhibited biphasic decay kinetics; however, a subset showed unexpected increases in concentration over time. Regression analysis revealed that miRNA degradation rates are influenced by multiple factors: specifically, miRNAs with higher predicted free energy tended to degrade faster; higher initial expression levels were associated with slightly slower degradation; and the body fluid-specific microenvironment may exert a protective effect through protein-mediated stabilization. These findings highlight the heterogeneity of miRNA degradation, which may introduce analytical bias in degraded forensic samples. Future studies should expand the evaluation of miRNA degradation characteristics to identify degradation-resistant biomarkers and develop correction strategies to minimize the impact of RNA degradation on gene expression analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112683"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145243482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection and quantification of selected cannabinoids in hair samples by liquid-liquid extraction and LC-MS/MS","authors":"Mónica Antunes ,&nbsp;Susana Simões ,&nbsp;Suzana Fonseca ,&nbsp;João M. Franco ,&nbsp;Mário Barroso ,&nbsp;Eugenia Gallardo","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112685","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112685","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cannabis remains the most used illicit drug worldwide, with rising use linked to medical and recreational decriminalization. This has driven the development of analytical techniques to detect cannabinoids in biological matrices. Hair offers key advantages due to its non-invasive collection, extended detection window, stability, and easy storage. This study presents the development and validation of a robust method for extracting natural cannabinoids from hair, following ANSI/ASB 2019, FDA, and Society of Hair Testing guidelines. Hair samples were washed with methanol and cut into small pieces. Approximately 20 mg of hair was incubated with 1 M NaOH and methanol (30 min, 50 °C). The mixture was acidified with acetic acid and underwent liquid-liquid extraction using hexane/ethyl acetate (90/10, v/v). The organic phase was evaporated and reconstituted in 1-pentanol/methanol (50/50, v/v). Analysis was conducted by LC-MS/MS using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and triple-stage mass spectrometry (MS³). The method was selective, specific, precise, and linear, with working ranges of 5–2000 pg/mg for THC, CBN, and CBD; 50–2000 pg/mg for THC-OH; and 0.2–20 pg/mg for THC-COOH. Ion suppression was observed but did not affect sensitivity, with LLOQs and LODs from 0.2 to 50 pg/mg. Over 25 hair samples from university students tested positive for cannabis. THC ranged from 5.9 to 2430.7 pg/mg; one sample had THC-OH above LLOQ (61.4 pg/mg); THC-COOH ranged from 0.3 and 36.4 pg/mg; CBN from 5.7 to 461.0 pg/mg; and CBD from 5.7 to 850.2 pg/mg. Results aligned with self-reported use, confirming the method's forensic suitability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112685"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Firearm brand classification using deep learning on cartridge case images","authors":"Edanur Meral,&nbsp;Ahmet Oğuz Akyüz","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When a firearm is discharged, it leaves characteristic marks on the cartridge case, which are analyzed in forensic ballistics to identify the firearm. Conventional ballistic examination systems rely on high-quality images of cartridge cases and bullets, scanning databases to generate ranked candidate lists based on similarity scores. However, these systems often overlook the distinctive signatures of the firearm brand, which could refine search spaces and improve identification accuracy. In this study, we propose a deep learning-based approach leveraging normalized height maps and shape index transformation of cartridge cases for firearm brand classification. Using the BALISTIKA system, we generated high-resolution surface representations from over 350,000 cartridge cases representing the most populous 21 firearm brands, representing 97% of firearms encountered in criminal cases in Türkiye, including handcrafted firearms and converted blank pistols (CBPs). By oversampling the minority classes in the dataset using rotated samples, we expanded it to over a million samples and mitigated class imbalance. We evaluated both traditional machine learning (SVM, Random Forest) and deep learning models (ResNet, Vision Transformer), with deep learning approaches achieving superior performance of up to 92% accuracy. These findings demonstrate that automated firearm brand classification enables forensic examiners to confidently prioritize cartridge cases from the same brand during ballistic comparisons. This approach is expected to substantially reduce examination time and enhance the efficiency of forensic investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112671"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of quantitative analysis method for carboxyhemoglobin in severely decomposed spleen tissue influenced by a reducing agent","authors":"Miyeon Lee ,&nbsp;Young-Hoon Jo ,&nbsp;Doyeon Lee ,&nbsp;Hyun Jee Kim ,&nbsp;Wooyong Park","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in a forensic sample is often determined by directly injecting blood into the oximeter. However, collection of blood sample is not always possible, especially when the subject is a severely decomposed cadaver. In this case, the CO concentration is determined by analyzing spleen tissue using gas chromatography with thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD). In the previous study, spleen from 125 autopsy cases were analyzed which led to a conclusion that CO intoxication cannot be considered as a definitive cause of death when its concentration is lower than 30 %. The non-CO related cases where the concentration was as high as 30 % were because of high methemoglobin. Methemoglobin (MetHb) is a common product of hemoglobin oxidation caused by decomposition. Since MetHb is unable to bind with oxygen or carbon monoxide, it inhibits the CO saturation of the sample which is a critical step in constructing a calibration curve for CO calculation. Therefore, the importance of incorporating a reducing agent to lower MetHb by reducing it to normal hemoglobin has been proclaimed. To test the viability of reducing agent, where in this case Na₂S₂O₄, as a method to lower MetHb in spleen samples, preliminary tests on blood were conducted by comparing the result of the analysis with and without using the reducing agent. Blood samples with high MetHb were required, so an oxidating agent, sodium nitrite was added to spike the samples, as storing the already collected sample didn’t induce more decomposition and higher MetHb. Using the spiked blood samples, Na₂S₂O₄ was added in various concentrations and analyzed to find the appropriate amount, which was then applied to the spleen samples. The necessity of using the reducing agent was confirmed by comparing the results before and after adding Na₂S₂O₄ to the spleen samples, and the most appropriate concentration was found to be 0.1 mL of 0.574 M Na₂S₂O₄ per 1 mL of blood.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112678"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metformin-related fatalities − The importance of combining forensic toxicology and postmortem biochemistry analyses in death involving antidiabetics","authors":"Guillaume Drevin ,&nbsp;Laurent Leuger ,&nbsp;Laura Renard ,&nbsp;Nathalie Jousset ,&nbsp;Stéphane Malbranque ,&nbsp;Xavier Dieu ,&nbsp;Séverine Férec ,&nbsp;Antoine Baudriller ,&nbsp;Marie Briet ,&nbsp;Chadi Abbara","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metformin is the most commonly used drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and appears as a promising drug for several other conditions. While generally well-tolerated and relatively safe, metformin can cause serious side effects, and intoxication cases have been reported. Classically, the severity of metformin intoxications is better assessed by measuring lactate blood concentration and/or blood pH than by directly determining blood drug concentration. However, such an approach is more complicated in postmortem investigation. Indeed, biochemistry changes occur after death, affecting both lactate concentration and pH. In this context, the authors report a case of a metformin-related fatality for which toxicological and biochemical analyses have been integrated in order to better understand pathophysiological mechanisms and/or circumstances surrounding such fatalities. Metformin was quantified in femoral blood (FB) (45 mg/L), heart blood (HB) (39 mg/L), urine (464 mg/L), vitreous (18 mg/L) and gastric content (202 mg/L) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) was also quantified in FB (491 mg/L) and vitreous (473 mg/L) using LC-MS/MS. Vitreous sodium (122 mmol/L), chloride (102 mmol/L), glucose (&lt;0.10 mmol/L), creatinine (277 µmol/L) and lactate (13 mmol/L) concentrations were determined in vitreous on an Atellica® CH 930 analyzer. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) was assessed in FB (7.7 %) using a Tosoh® G8 HPLC analyser. Overall, only few cases of metformin-related fatalities have been described. Here, the metformin FB concentration appeared particularly high, in agreement with other reported cases. Similarly, the results of the postmortem biochemistry analysis were also consistent with those reported in other metformin-related fatalities. Interestingly, BHB concentrations were notably elevated in both FB and vitreous humor. Furthermore, creatinine was determined in vitreous humor at a particularly high concentration. This case highlights the importance of combining postmortem toxicological and biochemical analyses in deaths involving antidiabetics. Indeed, such fatalities are quite complex and both drug toxicity and metabolic disorders may overlap with regard to mechanisms of death.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112680"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detecting fentanyl analogs in counterfeit pharmaceuticals by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using handheld Raman spectrometers","authors":"Sevde Dogruer Erkok ,&nbsp;Martin M. Kimani ,&nbsp;Adam Lanzarotta ,&nbsp;Bruce McCord","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>According to the CDC, approximately 87,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States from October 2023 to September 2024, and the estimated number of overdose deaths in the US attributed to fentanyl and fentanyl analogs was around 54,000 in 2024. While fentanyl and its analogs are abused via numerous administration routes, the number of seized counterfeit tablets containing these drugs is significantly high. The DEA seized over 60 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in 2024, equivalent to more than 380 million lethal doses of fentanyl. Portable techniques can be especially useful for law enforcement. Raman spectroscopy, especially surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), is one such technique which can be useful in both field and laboratory applications due to its sensitivity and selectivity. This study demonstrates SERS for presumptive detection of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in counterfeit tablets using two portable Raman instruments equipped with 785 nm and 1064 nm lasers, combined with commercial Ag nanoparticles and synthesized Au/Ag nanostars. The analysis of 14 counterfeit tablets revealed that SERS correctly identified fentanyl or a fentanyl analog in all samples, achieving 100 % sensitivity. However, the 1064 nm laser configuration demonstrated slightly superior performance, yielding clearer and more consistent spectral features compared to the 785 nm laser. These findings suggest that SERS, particularly with a 1064 nm laser, is a promising tool for presumptive field detection of fentanyl and its analogs in counterfeit tablets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112679"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolite ratios and detection times in urine following a single dose of zopiclone","authors":"Munchelou M. Gomonit ,&nbsp;Gunnel H. Nilsson ,&nbsp;Ingrid Nyström ,&nbsp;Liselotte Berglund ,&nbsp;Fredrik C. Kugelberg ,&nbsp;Johan Ahlner ,&nbsp;Michael T. Truver ,&nbsp;Robert Kronstrand","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2025.112677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zopiclone (ZOP) is a Z-drug that features prevalently in impaired driving, petty drug offenses or drug-facilitated sexual assault cases. Additional characterization of ZOP urinary pharmacokinetics would support its interpretation in forensic casework. This study aimed to determine the detection windows and excretion patterns of ZOP, zopiclone-<em>N</em>-oxide (ZOP-NO), and <em>N</em>-desmethylzopiclone (N-DMZOP) in urine, and evaluate the utility of metabolite ratios for predicting the time of last ZOP intake. Subjects (n=16) received a single oral dose of either 5 mg or 10 mg Imovane®, and urine samples were collected pre-dosing, at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 24 hours on day 1, and on days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, and 14 post-dose. ZOP, ZOP-NO, N-DMZOP, and the degradation product 2-amino-5-chloropyridine (ACP) were quantified using LC-MS/MS. Although T_max of all three analytes did not differ significantly between dosing groups, the 10 mg group produced significantly higher C_max concentrations of N-DMZOP compared to the 5 mg group, with insignificant differences in the C_max of ZOP and ZOP-NO. The ratio of N-DMZOP/ZOP-NO showed a relationship to the time of intake, but predictions were underestimated possibly due to the small sample size, inter-individual differences, and to some degree, by the degradation of zopiclone metabolites prior to analysis. These findings highlight the need to include ACP in ZOP to improve the interpretation of ZOP and metabolite concentrations in forensic casework. Notably, N-DMZOP displayed the longest detection window compared to ZOP and ZOP-NO, highlighting its utility as a biomarker for extended detection of ZOP intake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":"378 ","pages":"Article 112677"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145243516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}