United States Department of Transportation
i
The Second Seven Years of the FAA's Postmortem Forensic Toxicology Proficiency-Testing Program
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2008-10-01
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[PDF-905.08 KB]
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Abstract:For aircraft accident investigations, samples from pilot fatalities are analyzed at the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) for the presence of combustion gases, alcohols/volatiles, and drugs. Throughout this forensic toxicological process, a high degree of quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) is maintained, and quality improvement is continuously pursued. Under this philosophy, CAMI started a quarterly forensic toxicology proficiency-testing (PT) program in July 1991 for the analysis of postmortem specimens. In continuation of the first 7 years of the CAMI PT findings reported earlier, PT findings of the next 7 years (July 1998–April 2005) are summarized herein. During this period, 28 PT challenge survey samples (12 urine, 9 blood, and 7 tissue homogenate) with/without alcohols/volatiles, drugs, drug metabolites, and/or putrefactive amine(s) were submitted to an average of 31 participating laboratories, of which an average of 25 participants returned their result sheets—that is, 53–96% (mean = 82%). The number of respondents was dependent upon the complexity of the sample matrix, the number and types of analytes in the sample, and the associated analytical chemistry/toxicology. For example, ethanol/methanol/volatiles in urine were correctly quantitated by a higher number of participants than those for amphetamine/methamphetamine and cannabinoid levels in blood and tissues. Methods employed ranged from immunoassays to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/high-performance liquid chromatography. Analytes in survey samples were correctly identified and quantitated by a large number of participants, but some false positives of concern were reported, as some of them were abused drugs. Some of the false positives would have been avoided by not reporting those drugs solely based upon presumptive analyses. Their presence should have been confirmed, authenticated, and, if possible, quantitated by other analytical methods, which should have been based upon different analytical principles than those used during presumptive analyses. It is anticipated that the FAA's PT program would continue to serve as a tool to effectively allow its own toxicology laboratory and other participating laboratories for professional and technical maintenance and advancement on a voluntary, interlaboratory, and self-evaluative basis. Furthermore, this PT program will continue to provide service to the forensic toxicology scientific community through this important part of the QC/QA for the laboratory accreditation to withstand professional and judicial scrutiny of analytical results.
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