Mother-fetus postmortem toxicologic analysis in a fatal overdose with mecarbam

A suicidal poisoning committed by a 19-year-old pregnant woman, who ingested an unknown quantity of an aqueous solution mecarbam (trade name includes 'Murfotox') containing 68 g/l of S-(N-ethoxycarbonyl-N-methylcarbamoyl methyl) O,O-diethyl phosphorodithioate (C.R. Worthing (Ed.), The Pesticide Manual, 6th end, BCPC, 1980) is described. The pesticide crossed the placental barrier and caused the death of the fetus. Toxicologic analysis of mecarbam in several tissues and fluids of mother-fetus revealed its distribution. The analysis was performed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-liquid chromatography (GC). The case described serves to point out the ease with which mecarbam crossed the placental barrier, its high concentration in the lungs and the considerably higher concentrations in fetal than in mother's tissues.