After tests revealed that the quantity of acrylamide found in both the coffee and the coffee grounds was too great to be dismissed as an accidental contamination, campus police launched a criminal investigation into the incident. According to the UCSD Assistant Police Chief Jay Dyer, campus detectives are conducting interviews and gathering information, but as of yet, have failed to identify any suspects. However, the amount of acrylamide found in the coffee did not approach lethal levels and the researchers were able to return to work that same day. Despite this speedy recovery, Covell said little is known about the long-term health implications of this type of acrylamide exposure. There is little information in the literature about a single acute exposure.
Acrylamide is a white, water-soluble crystal used to make gels for protein analysis.
According to Covell, this chemical is common and easily accessible to those working within the medical school, but one that an outsider would be unable to attain. Continued Next Column Continued from Previous Column Medical Center spokesperson Nancy Stringer said that the poisoned researchers were not all from one lab, but represented a variety of labs. Stringer said that the conference room is a meeting area commonly used by many different groups. Dyer said that police have not completely eliminated the possbility of this incident as no-criminal occurrence. According to Covell, researchers and lab workers are continuing their work amid an atmosphere significantly altered by this unsolved mystery.