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Sudden death due to butane inhalation

¹Osborn Laboratories, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201, USA.

The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

|September 18, 1997

Summary

Inhaling nonhalogenated hydrocarbons like n-butane, isobutane, and propane can cause sudden cardiac death. This study confirms these substances can induce fatal cardiac arrhythmias, highlighting a significant toxicological risk.

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Area of Science:

Toxicology
Forensic Science
Cardiology

Background:

Sudden death from halogenated hydrocarbon inhalation is established.
Emerging evidence suggests nonhalogenated hydrocarbons may also induce fatal cardiac arrhythmias.

Observation:

This report details five cases of sudden death linked to the inhalation of nonhalogenated hydrocarbons.
The specific hydrocarbons implicated were n-butane, isobutane, and propane.

Findings:

Headspace gas chromatography confirmed the presence of n-butane, isobutane, and propane in biological samples.
Toxicological analysis of blood, brain, and lung tissue identified the causative agents.

Implications:

Nonhalogenated hydrocarbons represent a previously underestimated cause of sudden cardiac death.
These findings underscore the need for awareness and preventative measures against hydrocarbon inhalation in forensic and clinical settings.

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