1,1,1-trichloroethane: report of a fatal intoxication

TCE was indicated in the accidental death of a woman cleaning up a paint spill in an enclosed, poorly ventilated room. Blood and tissue concentrations of TCE were measured by head-space gas chromatography. The concentrations found were compared with previously reported concentrations concluding that the demonstrable presence of TCE in blood at a concentration above 1.0 to 1.5 mg/100 ml would be consistent with death. However, the rapid dissipation of TCE from blood dictates that its presence in post mortem samples at any concentration must be considered as a factor in determining the cause of death.