Abstract
We experienced an autopsy case of a death associated with ingestion of liquid detergent. The deceased was an 82-year-old woman who was found dead in her bed room. Autopsy revealed corrosive changes of the mucosal surfaces of the lung. The larynx, trachea and stomach contained mucoid matter with abundant froth. Toxicological investigations detected polyethylene glycol in the bronchus, blood and gastric contents using headspace-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Surfactants generally have low toxicity but can cause damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. We report here an autopsy case of death by suicidal ingestion of liquid detergent with special regard to the histochemical findings of the case study.
Highlights
Surface-active agents coexisting with hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups are grossly classified into cationic, anionic, and non-ionic groups
These many compounds generally have been considered to be of low toxicity and to produce few serious effects except in the case of cationic surfactants, but serious symptoms and deaths associated with the ingestion of detergents have been reported [1]-[6]
Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (AE) is one of the most frequently used nonionic surfactants, and its mass spectrum showed the characteristic distribution of the main peaks that were separated by mass units in positive mode (Figure 7)
Summary
Surface-active agents coexisting with hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups are grossly classified into cationic, anionic, and non-ionic groups. Surfactants are widely used in antiseptics and cleaning products and as spreader and emulsifier in pesticides and in industry. These many compounds generally have been considered to be of low toxicity and to produce few serious effects except in the case of cationic surfactants, but serious symptoms and deaths associated with the ingestion of detergents have been reported [1]-[6]. We describe a case of death from swallowing liquid detergent
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