Tissue distribution of trichloroethylene and its metabolites in a forensic case.
A fatality that was due to the ingestion of the halogenated solvent trichloroethylene is presented. The decedent was a 43-year-old male who was found dead at his home. Screening of the blood and stomach contents with the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique and radioimmunoassay demonstrated the presence of ethanol, amphetamine-like compounds, caffeine, cotinine, and acetaminophen. These compounds were present in toxicologically irrelevant concentrations as confirmed by thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography (GC). The Fujiwara reaction was performed on all available matrices, and it revealed the presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons in high concentrations. A specific GC method with electron capture detection allowed the quantitation of trichloroethylene and its metabolites trichloroethanol and trichloroacetic acid in different matrices. GC with Fourier-transform infrared detection was used for the confirmation of the identity of trichloroethylene.
De Baere
S
S
Laboratorium voor Toxicologie, Universiteit Gent, Belgium.
Meyer
E
E
Dirinck
I
I
Lambert
W
W
Piette
M
M
Van Peteghem
C
C
De Leenheer
A
A
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D017248:Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012015:Reference Standards; D012997:Solvents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013405:Suicide; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*
D000662:Amphetamines; D012997:Solvents; D014241:Trichloroethylene; D000082:Acetaminophen; D002110:Caffeine; D000431:Ethanol; D003367:Cotinine