Cremated Remains Tests

Did your loved one work in the manufacturing, airline, plating, or metal or chemical production industry?  Were they farmers?  Unfortunately, jobs in these industries can expose a person to excessive amounts of toxic heavy metals. Was the deceased in the military, married to military, or a civilian that worked on a military base? If so, they may have been around dangerous levels of metals. Did they have metal implants, like a hip or knee replacement? Studies show that these devices can cause toxic poisoning. Do you have reason to believe that the person was deliberately poisoned?  Drugs or medications do not survive the cremation process, but if they were given arsenic, mercury, or another heavy metal based poison, we can test for evidence. 

Absolutely.  Just give us a call to see if it's a substance we can test for.  Testing for a single metal is $250.

Arsenic poisoning occurs after the ingestion or inhalation of arsenic. Arsenic is a type of carcinogen that’s gray, silver, or white in color. Arsenic is extremely poisonous to humans. What makes arsenic especially dangerous is that it doesn’t have a taste or odor, so you can be exposed to it without knowing it. While arsenic is naturally occurring, it also comes in inorganic (or “man-made”) formulas. These are used in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.

Contaminated groundwater is the most common cause of arsenic poisoning. Arsenic is already present in the earth and can seep into groundwater. Also, groundwater can contain runoff from industrial plants. Drinking arsenic-laden water over a long period of time can lead to poisoning. Other possible causes of arsenic poisoning can include breathing air that contains arsenic, breathing contaminated air from plants or mines that use arsenic, living near industrialized areas, being exposed to landfill or waste sites,breathing in smoke or dust from wood or waste that was previously treated with arsenic, and eating arsenic-contaminated food.

Since arsenic is rapidly cleared from the blood, blood arsenic levels may not be very useful in diagnosis. If acute arsenic poisoning is suspected an x- ray may reveal the substance in the abdomen. Arsenic may also be detected in the hair, bones, and nails for months following ingestion. Within twenty four hours of ingestion arsenic moves from the blood directly into the victim’s kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen & the gastrointestinal tract. In 2 to 4 weeks traces can be found in the victim’s skin, nails, and hair. From there, traces of the poison settle in the bones. Within 35 minutes after ingesting arsenic the victim will experience garlic smelling breath, muscle cramping, metallic taste, headaches, vomiting, vertigo, diarrhea and abdominal pain. If the victim doesn’t die within the first few hours from shock, the poisoned victim will most likely die several days later from kidney failure. If the victim survives 2 to 4 weeks they will experience horrible suffering and will start losing their hair. When death finally comes it will most likely be diagnosed as renal failure.

Cadmium is a highly toxic metal found in industrial workplaces. Due to its low exposure limit, over exposures may occur even in situations where very small quantities of cadmium are found. Cadmium is used extensively in electroplating, although the nature of the operation does not always lead to overexposure. Cadmium is also found in industrial paints and can present a hazard when sprayed. Operations involving removal of cadmium paints by blasting or scraping can pose a significant hazard. Cadmium is also present in the production of batteries. Exposure to cadmium can be found in the following industries: construction industry, shipyard employment, and the agricultural industry. Acute inhalation exposure (high levels over a short period of time) to cadmium can result in flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, and muscle pain) and can damage the lungs. Symptoms of inflammation may start hours after the exposure and include cough, dryness and irritation of the nose and throat, headache, dizziness, weakness, fever, chills, and chest pain. Inhaling cadmium-laden dust quickly leads to respiratory tract and kidney problems which can be fatal (often from renal failure). Chronic exposure (low level over an extended period of time) can result in kidney, bone and lung disease.

Chromium compounds are added to steel to increase corrosion resistance, hardenability, and are used in paints and dyes and the tanning of leather. Chromium compounds are often found in groundwater and soil at abandoned industrial complexes that are now in need of environmental cleanup. Chromium has also been used to produce paint primer and is still widely used for automobile refinishing applications. Chromium is known to cause cancer and targets the kidneys, skin, eyes, and especially the respiratory system.

Lead poisoning occurs when lead builds up in the body, often over a period of months or years. Even modest amounts of lead can cause severe health problems. Children less than the age of 6 are more vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can profoundly affect physical and mental development. At higher levels, lead poisoning often causes death. Lead contaminated dust and lead-based paint in homes or buildings built before 1978  are the most common source of poisoning in children. According to the CDC, 24 million homes in the US still contain lead paint.  Lead piping and plumbing are also a significant source of lead contamination. Individuals who work in auto repair shops, do home renovations, make ammunition, or work with batteries may also be exposed to lead. Initially, lead poisoning can be hard to detect — even people who seem healthy can have high blood levels of lead. Signs and symptoms usually don't appear until dangerous amounts have accumulated. Although children are primarily at risk, lead poisoning is also dangerous for adults. Signs and symptoms in adults might include high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain, difficulties with memory or concentration, headache, abdominal pain, mood disorders, reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm, and miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth in pregnant women.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning can be numerous and may occur either rapidly or over long periods of time. In general, symptoms occur and progress more rapidly the higher the dose of mercury encountered. Exposure to the various forms of mercury can result in some similar and some different symptoms. Symptoms can be grouped into three categories based on the form of mercury toxicity: 1) elemental and vaporized mercury, 2) organic mercury, and 3) inorganic mercury. Elemental mercury toxicity (which usually occurs in the vaporized form) can cause mood swings, nervousness, irritability, and other emotional changes, headache, muscle twitching and tremors. Organic mercury toxicity (most frequently in the methylmercury form from ingestion), causes neurological malfunctions, and especially in a fetus, impaired neurological development. Other symptoms include vision impairment, loss of coordination, needle-like sensations in hands, feet, and/or mouth, muscle weakness and impairments of speech and hearing. Inorganic mercury toxicity often causes skin rashes and inflammation (dermatitis). If ingested, it can dissolve tissues and some may be absorbed by the intestinal tissue. Large amounts of ingested inorganic mercury may cause bloody diarrhea. Absorbed mercury can spread to other organ systems resulting in mental changes including mood swings and memory loss or renal damage. Muscle weakness may also occur.