Using an online database to search for analytical method to detect poison

2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 10557047
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 展開研究
• Research Field: Legal medicine
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: KOJIMA Tohru Hiroshima University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (70037399)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): GONMORI Kunio Akita University, School of Medicine, Instructor, 医学部, 助手 (10006744) ; TANAKA Einosuke University of Tsukuba, Institute of Community Medicine, Assistant Professor, 社会医学系, 講師 (30138416) ; YASHIKI Mikio Hiroshima University, Faculty of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学部, 講師 (40033998) ; KAGEURA Mitsuyoshi Fukuoka University, School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (40037594) ; TERADA Masaru Osaka university, Graduate School of Medicine, Research Associate, 大学院医学系, 助手 (30104649)
• Project Period (FY): 1998 – 2000
• Keywords: Internet / e-mail list / poisoning information / analytical method / on line database / on line request system of analysis

Research Abstract

Inorder to quickly know the cause of a poisoning due to drugs or chemical hazards, information of clinical symptoms and analytical methods of poisons were collected, and an online database of the information and a request system for analysis were developed. The information was collected by using the following internet mailing lists : ml-poison and ml-anal. The information was divided into the following four groups.
Group A : Simple detection method of poisons. Ten poisons of which intoxications occur very frequently were selected, and simple detection methods of them were listed.
Group B : Database of verified analytical methods. Seven hundred analytical methods were selected by MEDLINE.The methods included extraction methods, analytical conditions, derivatization methods, detection limits, interpretation of concentrations in biological materials and information sources. Suitable methods were searched by using some key words such as 'compound name', 'sample matrix' and 'analytical method '.
Group C : Recommended analytical methods. Analytical methods of detecton of poisons of which intoxications occur frequently were listed. They were translated into Japanese.
Group D : Analytical methods used in laboratories of our members. Analytical methods used in laboratories of our members were listed.
The information was arranged, and put on a web site : <http : //maple-www2.med.hiroshimau.ac.jp>. CD-ROMs containing the information were distributed to laboratories where internet access was unavailable.
A request system for analysis was developed by using the internet. When a chemist is unable to analyze a poison in the laboratory, he or she can send a request to have it analyzed in another laboratory through the ml-poison list.
This is a project in which all analytical laboratories in the field of legal medicine and other related fields in Japan will be connected through the internet. If this system works well, we can quickly know the cause of a poisoning due to drugs or chemical hazards.