A lethal ingestion of a household cleaner containing pine oil and isopropanol.
This paper presents the case of a woman with a history of schizophrenia found deceased in her residence after she apparently ingested an unknown quantity of a pine oil-containing product. A strong lemon-pine odor emanated from the body. Autopsy revealed a large volume of oily fluid in the stomach. The lungs were heavy, hemorrhagic, and necrotic. There was no evidence of significant recent injury or pre-existing disease. The toxicological screening and quantitation of 1-alpha-terpineol in postmortem fluids was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Isopropanol and its metabolite acetone were determined by means of flame-ionization gas chromatography. Postmortem blood, urine, and stomach content levels of 1-alpha-terpineol were 276 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, and 4.0 g/total contents, respectively, and isopropanol levels were 730 mg/dL, 20 mg/dL, and 1000 mg/dL, respectively. No acetone could be detected. Her death was attributed to the combined toxicity of isopropanol and pine oil.
Martz
Walter
W
Provincial Toxicology Centre, 655 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 4R4.
D019840:2-Propanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D053138:Cyclohexenes / Q000032:analysis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006795:Household Products / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D013405:Suicide
D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010938:Plant Oils; C016775:alpha-terpineol; D019840:2-Propanol