Development of an AccuTOF-DART Database of Potential Toxins and Drugs for Use by Forensic Laboratories

Currently, RTI's Center for Forensic Sciences is evaluating the AccuTOF-DART' as a novel instrument for screening postmortem samples under NIJ grant number 2006-DN-BX-K014. Progress in this work has led to the realization that a searchable database of spectra specific to DART acquisition is needed for the effective implementation of this technology in forensic toxicology and other forensic fields. Consequently, the objectives of this proposal are to establish standards for data acquisition to maximize data exchange capabilities, to determine software needs and develop the foundation of a unified database applicable to multiple disciplines, and to begin populating the database with multiple collaboratively collected spectra. Establishing a DART database will expedite the analysis of controlled substances, enabling the forensic examiner to process evidence more efficiently. By reducing analysis time, this technique will allow analysts to process more cases, thereby reducing case backlog.

ca/ncf