title: Testing for alpha-chloralose by headspace-GC/MS. A case report.
abstract: A case is presented involving an acute fatality resulting from self-administered alpha-chloralose, a rodenticide. A 18-year-old man was found dead at home, with several stains of vomit on the carpet. An empty box of three bags of 5 g 100% alpha-chloralose (Corbeaux nuisibles, Rhône Poulenc) was found near the body. The compound was identified and quantified by headspace gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Alpha-chloralose was converted by concentrated sulphuric acid into chloral, a volatile compound, that was, after chromatography on a HP5-MS capillary column, identified by the following ions, m/z 82, 111 and 148. Peripheral blood concentration was 175.7 mg/l. Alpha-chloralose was quantified in several tissues, indicating kidney sequestration. No other drugs, including ethanol, were detected.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France. pascal.kintz@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kintz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doray
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cirimele
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ludes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002698:Chloralose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012378:Rodenticides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D012378:Rodenticides; D002698:Chloralose