Helium poisoning: new procedure for sampling and analysis
| Autor: | M. Alexandre, F Holz, Stéphane Malbranque, F Bevalot, O Cordes, Tony Fracasso, C Wunder, Silke Grabherr, V Dumestre-Toulet, Stefanie Iwersen-Bergmann, Vincent Varlet, Hilke Andresen-Streichert |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Intoxicative inhalant
Asphyxia Forensic imaging business.industry Brain Chemistry Bronchi/chemistry Forensic Toxicology/methods Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Heart Ventricles/chemistry Helium/analysis Helium/poisoning Humans Inhalant Abuse Lung/chemistry Poisoning/diagnosis Specimen Handling Stomach/chemistry Suicide Trachea/chemistry GC-MS Helium Suffocation 010401 analytical chemistry Poison control Autopsy Urine 01 natural sciences Peripheral blood 0104 chemical sciences Pathology and Forensic Medicine 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Anesthesia medicine Sampling (medicine) 030216 legal & forensic medicine medicine.symptom business |
| Zdroj: | International journal of legal medicine, vol. 133, no. 6, pp. 1809-1818 |
| ISSN: | 1437-1596 0937-9827 |
| Popis: | An increasing number of suicidal asphyxiation with a plastic bag with inert gases, and in particular helium (He), have been reported from numerous countries over the last decade. These cases are differently managed and lead to different and variable interpretations. Based on the 12 last cases analysed in the laboratory and on the review of the most recent literature about this topic, updated autopsy guidelines for sampling have been proposed regarding to the samples choice and analytical challenges required by the gaseous state of this substance. Biological samples from airways (lungs lobe) followed by brain and cardiac blood are the best matrices to take during the autopsy to diagnose He exposure. Gaseous samples from trachea, pulmonary bronchi, gastric and cardiac areas are also recommended as alternative samples. The anatomical site of sampling must be carefully detailed, and to this end, forensic imaging constitutes a beneficial tool. Even if He detection is sufficient to conclude to He exposure, He concentrations in samples may be related to He exposure conditions (duration, breathing rate, etc.). A quantification in biological samples could be helpful to document more precisely the case. He concentrations in gaseous samples are reported up to 6.0 μmol/mL (tracheal gas), 2.4 μmol/mL (pulmonary gas), 0.64 μmol/mL (cardiac gas) and 12 μmol/mL (gastric gas). He concentrations in solid/liquid samples are reported up to 28 μmol/g (lungs) and 0.03 μmol/g (cardiac blood). The other matrices usually sampled during autopsy such as urine, peripheral blood, liver, fat matter and kidney appear as not relevant. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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