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Case study: fatal poisoning by malathion
T S Thompson1, R G Treble, A Magliocco
1Saskatchewan Health, Provincial Laboratory, Regina, Canada.
Forensic Science International
|September 2, 1998
Summary
A fatal malathion poisoning case highlights its detection in post-mortem blood and gastric contents. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry confirmed malathion, aiding toxicological analysis in fatal poisonings.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Forensic Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Malathion is an organophosphate insecticide widely used for pest control.
- Intentional self-poisoning with pesticides is a significant global health concern.
- Accurate post-mortem detection of insecticides is crucial for forensic investigations.
Observation:
- A case of fatal poisoning (suicide) involving malathion was investigated.
- Intact malathion was identified in post-mortem blood and gastric samples.
- Malathion was quantified at 1.8 µg/ml in blood and 978 µg/ml in gastric contents.
Findings:
- No malathion was detected in the autopsied liver tissue.
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) confirmed the presence and concentration of malathion.
- The distribution of malathion varied significantly between different post-mortem matrices.
Implications:
- This case demonstrates the utility of GC-MS for detecting and quantifying malathion in post-mortem specimens.
- Findings underscore the importance of analyzing multiple biological samples in suspected pesticide poisoning cases.
- Understanding malathion's post-mortem distribution aids in interpreting toxicological results for forensic and clinical purposes.