Week 31 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!

Forensic Science Geek of the Week

: Forensic Science Geek of the Week

Thanks to the combined inspiration of Christine Funk, Esquire and Chuck Ramsay, Esquire, a new twist of this blog is being introduced. A weekly fun forensic science challenge/trivia question. The winner will be affectionately dubbed “www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week.”

Rules:

The challenge will be posted Sunday morning 12 noon EST.
Answers to the challenge will be entered by responding to this blog post or the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com FaceBook fan page.
All comments that are answers to this blog will released after 9pm EST.
The first complete and correct answer will be awarded the envious title of “www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week”
“www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week” is entitled a one time post of his/her picture on this blog and the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com FaceBook fan page. The coveted title will be his/her for that week. Additionally, a winner will be allowed one link to one webpage of his/her choice. Both the picture and the weblink is subject to the approval of Justin J McShane, Esquire and will only be screened for appropriate taste.
The winner will be announced Sunday night.
A winner may only repeat two times in a row, then will have to sit out a week to be eligible again. This person, who was the two time in a row winner, may answer the question, but will be disqualified from the honor so as to allow others to participate.
This is for learning and for fun. EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO TRY TO ANSWER THE WEEKLY QUESTION. So give it a shot.

Here it is:

The www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com “Forensic Science Geek of the Week” challenge question. Remember the first full and complete answer wins the honor and also gets his/her photo displayed, bragging rights for the week and finally website promotion.

OFFICIAL QUESTION:

1. What is this?

2. Why is it relevant and controversial in the forensic science community?

The Hall of Fame for the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week:
Week 1: Chuck Ramsay, Esquire

Week 2: Rick McIndoe, PhD

Week 3: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 4: Stephen Daniels

Week 5: Stephen Daniels

Week 6: Richard Middlebrook, Esquire

Week 7: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 8: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 9: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 10: Kelly Case, Esquire and Michael Dye, Esquire

Week 11: Brian Manchester, Esquire

Week 12: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 13: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 14: Josh Lee, Esquire

Week 15: Joshua Dale, Esquire and Steven W. Hernandez, Esquire

Week 16: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 17: Joshua Dale, Esquire

Week 18: Glen Neeley, Esquire

Week 19: Amanda Bynum, Esquire

Week 20: Josh Lee, Esquire

Week 21: Glen Neeley, Esquire

Week 22: Stephen Daniels

Week 23: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

WEEK 24: Bobby Spinks

WEEK 25: Jon Woolsey, Esquire

WEEK 26: UNCLAIMED, IT COULD BE YOU!!!!

Week 27: Richard Middlebrook, Esquire

WEEK 28: UNCLAIMED, IT COULD BE YOU!!!!

WEEK 29: Ron Moore, Esquire

WEEK 30: UNCLAIMED, IT COULD BE YOU!!!!

4 Responses to “Week 31 www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week Challenge!!!”

Ron moore says:

January 30, 2011 at 2:08 pm

This is ethylglucuronide, a biomarker of alcohol consumption. It is used to prove recent consumption of ethanol, even though it can be produced from other causes. I have actually used it to show that a person was not a frequent consumer of alcohol to explain his alcoholic blackout at only a .18.

Josh D. Lee says:

January 30, 2011 at 5:23 pm

That is Ethyl Glucuronide which is a non-oxidative metabolite of ethanol. The idea is that it can be used as a bio-marker to test people who are on probation or in a substance abuse program and are not supposed to be using alcohol or for individuals who work in a field where alcohol consumption is not allowed so many hours prior to work (such as pilots). It is thought to be better suited to test for EtG as opposed to EtOH because EtG will show up in the body hours longer than EtOH will.

There is at least one problem with this approach. Our bodies absorb alcohol all the time from sources other than drinking an alcoholic beverage. Many foods and drinks contain ethanol. Toothpastes, mouthwashes, and oral pharmaceutical products contain alcohol. Hand sanitizers and lotions contain alcohol. Infections may cause problems as well by creating EtG.

So the danger is that a person could be tested for EtG and test positive without having consumed a single alcoholic beverage. But the false assumption would be that he or she did consume a prohibited alcoholic beverage.