Journal of Medical Toxicology and Clinical Forensic Medicine

Investigation of Accidental Propoxur Exposure: Clinical and Forensic Toxicology

Propoxur, carbamate compound is a nonsystematic insecticide, classified as highly toxic substance to humans. It shows depletion in whole blood cholinesterase activity. The fatal and specific signsymptoms for carbamate pesticides are CNS depression with coma, seizures, hypotonicity in serious toxic exposures. The present case study explains accidental exposure of propoxur in which the symptomatic treatment has been provided to the patients. In some areas, the homemade liquor is prepared to get the recreational effects. Sometimes, during preparation of the liquor is contaminated with other substances accidently, which can be more toxic than the liquor. One incident was happened in which, the victims (n=21) were admitted to the hospital with ill effect including of nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, sweating, diarrhea etc after the consumption of the homemade liquor. Treatment had started in the hospital and the blood samples of all 21 victims sent to the Forensic Laboratory for the detection of the toxic chemicals. The laboratory reports reveal the presence of propoxur in all 21 blood samples along with ethanol. During investigation it was further discovered that the victims were consumed alcohol (local brand), which was accidentally contaminated with propoxur (baygon). Due to health status of the victims and amount of consumed liquor by them, three deaths had occurred within 24-48 hours of the consumption of the liquor. With symptomatic treatment and as propoxur can be eliminated from the body in due course of time, 18 patients had recovered. Both Gas ChromatographyHead Space (GC-HS) analysis and Gas Chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detector (GC-NPD) revealed the presence of ethanol and propoxur respectively in all 21 blood samples. Thus, chemical findings support the investigation that the liquor was contaminated with the propoxur, a carbamate and those three deaths might be due to propoxur toxicity

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Author(s):

Rakhi Agarwal

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