Nicotine and cotinine levels in blood and urine from forensic autopsy cases

Legal Medicine
Fumio Moriya, Yoshiaki Hashimoto

Abstract

We measured nicotine and cotinine levels in blood and urine from 31 forensic autopsy cases. Initially, we developed a sensitive and reproducible gas chromatographic method with a minimum limit of detection of 2.1 ng/ml for both nicotine and cotinine. Calibration curves for nicotine and cotinine were linear in the ranges of 2.1-1030 ng/ml (r2=0.994-0.999) and 2.1-1380 ng/ml (r2=0.998-0.999) respectively. Our population included 13 smokers and eight of these smokers committed suicide. They showed high levels of nicotine and cotinine at 65.1-205 ng/ml (mean: 115 ng/ml) and 31.3-938 ng/ml (mean: 405 ng/ml) in blood, respectively, and 234-7290 ng/ml (mean: 1940 ng/ml) and 143-4620 ng/ml (mean: 1170 ng/ml) in urine, respectively. None of these individuals consumed nicotine preparations or tobacco leaves. In five smokers who did not commit suicide, nicotine and cotinine levels were 4.4-62.1 ng/ml (mean: 33.2 ng/ml) and 49.9-217 ng/ml (mean: 140 ng/ml) in blood, respectively, and 158-314 ng/ml (mean: 246 ng/ml) and 68.9-300 ng/ml (mean: 179 ng/ml) in urine, respectively. Our results suggest that there may be a marked increase in consumption of cigarettes in smokers with suicidal thoughts.

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Citations

Aug 21, 2009·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Bin TuJerrel L Yakel
Jan 21, 2014·Forensic Science International : Synergy·C LardiA Thierauf
Feb 15, 2016·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Paola A MagniIan R Dadour
Mar 24, 2009·Legal Medicine·Hiroyuki NishimuraYoshiaki Hashimoto
Jul 21, 2006·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Fumio MoriyaJunichi Furumiya
Apr 23, 2011·Nicotine & Tobacco Research : Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco·Terhi LauniainenIlkka Ojanperä
Mar 9, 2020·Forensic Science International : Synergy·J-A TjonckeK Titier

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