title: A fatality involving 1,3-propanediol and its implications in measurement of other glycols.
abstract: The decomposed body of a 45-year-old female was found, face down, in a mobile home, along with a suicide note and two antifreeze containers. Analysis of the body fluid collected from the decedent showed the presence of 58 mg/dL ethanol, but suspected ethylene glycol was not found in the sample. However, an unusually large peak of internal standard, 1,3-propanediol, was found in the sample. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of 1,3-propanediol in the sample. Using gas chromatography-flame-ionization detection, the concentration of 1,3-propanediol was determined to be 445 mg/dL. To our knowledge, this is the first report involving 1,3-propanediol as the cause of death. The study also highlights the importance for the close scrutiny of data, as 1,3-propanediol is a frequently used internal standard for the assay of glycols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, and University of Missouri School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, USA. ugarg@cmh.edu
authors.forename: Uttam
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: C Clinton
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Frazee
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiscoan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Bonita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cathcart
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D011409:Propylene Glycols; C041787:1,3-propanediol