A fatal case caused by organophosphorus insecticide intoxication and confirmed by the metabolite found in the blood
Yashiki, M.; Miyazaki, T.; Iwasaki, Y.; Taniguchi, T.; Kojima, T.; Sakai, K.; Hiraga, M.
Nihon Hoigaku Zasshi 46(4): 276-281
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1887 PMID: 1405021 Document Number: 401102
An 83-year-old woman and two other members of her family were poisoned after eating lettuce prepared with Ethimethon Granule 6 instead of salt by mistake. Ethimethon Granule 6 is a mixture of organophosphorus pesticides, disulfoton and diazinon. All three were admitted to a hospital, and she died 22 h after ingestion and the others recovered. Disulfoton and diazinon in the remaining lettuce were detected and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The pesticides, however, were not detected in the blood sample collected from the victim at autopsy. A metabolite of disulfoton, phosphorothiolate sulfone, was detected by FPD-gas chromatography, and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.