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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
07:52
Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
Reporting a sudden death due to accidental gasoline inhalation
María Antonia Martínez1, Salomé Ballesteros, Rafael Alcaraz
1Instituto Nacional de Toxicologia y C. Forenses, Ministerio de Justicia, C/José Echegaray, 4, 28232 Las Rozas de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. ma.martinez@mju.es
Forensic Science International
|March 1, 2011
Summary
Sudden occupational death was caused by gasoline poisoning. This case highlights the importance of testing for volatile hydrocarbons in workplace fatalities involving vapor inhalation.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Occupational Health and Safety
Background:
- Gasoline, a mixture of hydrocarbons, can cause cardiac arrhythmias or act as an asphyxiant.
- Accurate determination of cause of death is crucial in uncertain fatalities.
Observation:
- A 51-year-old man died suddenly while working in a manhole near a gasoline leak.
- Autopsy revealed skin blistering and a strong gasoline odor in the respiratory tract.
Findings:
- Gasoline poisoning was confirmed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- Detected gasoline levels: heart blood 35.7 mg/L, liver 194.7 mg/kg, lung 147.6 mg/kg.
- Cause of death was determined as accidental gasoline poisoning.
Implications:
- Emphasizes the need for testing volatile hydrocarbons in occupational sudden deaths.
- Highlights the toxicological significance of petroleum distillate detection.
- Recommends awareness of risks associated with gasoline vapor inhalation in the workplace.
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