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Rapid communication: postmortem distribution of organophosphate insecticides in human autopsy tissues following

Serap Akgür1, Pembe Oztürk, Ali Yemişcigil

  • 1Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. serapa@med.ege.edu.tr

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A
|November 13, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Organophosphate (OP) insecticides are common in suicidal poisonings in Turkey. This study found OP in all autopsy tissues, with highest concentrations in fat and lowest in blood, detectable even 20 days postmortem.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Environmental Health
  • Clinical Chemistry

Background:

  • Organophosphate (OP) insecticides are widely used in Turkey.
  • OPs are the primary agents in suicidal poisonings.
  • Limited data exist on OP distribution in human tissues postmortem.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify OP insecticide concentrations in human autopsy tissues.
  • To investigate the distribution of OPs in fat, liver, and blood.
  • To determine the postmortem persistence of OPs.

Main Methods:

  • Gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detector (GC-NPD) was utilized.
  • Analysis of OP levels in fat, liver, and blood tissues.
  • Study included 32 human suicide victims.

Main Results:

  • OPs were detected in all autopsy tissue samples.
  • Multiple OP compounds were frequently identified in individual cases.
  • Concentrations were highest in adipose tissue (fat) and lowest in blood.
  • OPs remained detectable up to 20 days postmortem.

Conclusions:

  • OP insecticides are consistently present in tissues of suicide victims.
  • Adipose tissue serves as a significant reservoir for OP accumulation.
  • Further research is needed to correlate OP levels with fat content and mortality.

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