Inhalation Of Volatile Compounds Research Articles

Plastic bag suffocation and codeine overdose: An unusual case of complex suicide and review of the literature

The term “planned complex suicide” refers to cases where two or more suicide methods are applied simultaneously. Plastic bag suffocation is a suicidal method commonly combined with self-poisoning by inhalation of volatile compounds or pharmacological substances at poisoning dosage. A 67-year-old woman was found dead on the couch. The head was wrapped in a plastic bag knotted at the front of the neck. No signs of struggle were present on the scene. In the fireplace, there were two blisters of acetaminophen/codeine phosphate tablets. Postmortem examination showed congestion of the face and the neck and pulmonary edema with patchy emphysema. There was no evidence of physical duress. Toxic levels of codeine were detected in the blood. The death was related to a complex suicide involving codeine overdose and asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation. The hypoxic/cardioinhibitory effects of plastic bag suffocation combined to codeine-induced deep reduction of respiratory rate, making the suicide hypothesis the more likely scenario. In order to assess what elements contribute to postmortem diagnosis in complex suicides with plastic bag suffocation, a review of the forensic literature published between 2002 and 2022 was performed. This article emphasizes the complexity of diagnosing deaths involving plastic bag suffocation in suicides, particularly when combined with other methods like inert gas inhalation or drug intake. It underscores the importance of comprehensive toxicological analyses, careful scene examination, and histological studies, not forgetting a thorough comparative analysis of the existing literature, to accurately determine the cause and manner of death in such cases.

Comparative Study of Workers Exposure to Volatile Compounds in Cooking Gas and Petrol Stations in Effurun and Environs

This project aimed to determine workers' exposure to volatile compounds in cooking gas and petrol stations in Effurun and its environs. A total of ten cooking gas and petrol stations were randomly sampled for the study. A gas analyzer (Eurotron 3000+ UniGas) was used to collect data, and the parameters analyzed were O2, CO2, CO, NO, NO2, and SO. It was observed that the cooking gas and petrol stations were within OSHA standard rating, for O2 = 206,000-ppm as OSHA = 195,000-ppm, for CO2 = 23-ppm as OSHA = 5000-ppm, for CO = 14-ppm as OSHA = 50, for NO = 15-ppm as OSHA = 25-ppm and for SO2 = 0-ppm as OSHA = 5-ppm, whereas NO2 calculated was 18-ppm was higher than OSHA recommended value (5-ppm), hence could make the environment not conducive for workers if exposed over a long period. According to the calculated values, all ten (10) cooking gas and petrol stations covered in this project work complied with OSHA's recommended values for O2, CO2, CO, NO, and SO2 except for NO2 (18-ppm) as it was higher than the allowable limit of 5-ppm set by OSHA, this may be due to the presence of car exhaust fumes driving in and out of the gas and petrol stations and the release of cooking gas into the atmosphere from the gas stations. It was recommended that shift work be adopted to reduce the accumulation of volatile compounds in the workers' bodies; disposable masks should be used to reduce workers' inhalation of volatile compounds.

Are highly lipophilic volatile compounds expected to bioaccumulate with repeated exposures?

With non-volatile compounds, high lipophilicity (i.e., fat:blood partition coefficients, Pf, in the range of several hundred to a thousand or higher) typically leads to concerns for bioaccumulation. To evaluate the extent to which highly cleared, lipophilic vapors are expected to accumulate in blood and tissues, we conducted pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis, using both a generic physiologically based (PBPK) model for inhalation of volatile compounds (VCs) and a more detailed PBPK model specifically developed for a highly lipophilic volatile (decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, D 5). The generic PBPK model for inhalation of VCs in humans showed that highly metabolized, lipophilic compounds, with a low blood:air partition coefficient (Pb), do not accumulate in blood or systemic tissues with repeat exposures although a period of days to weeks may be required for fat to reach periodic steady state. VCs with higher Pb (in the hundreds) and lower hepatic extraction accumulate in blood on repeat exposures. The more detailed PBPK model for D 5 also showed that this lipophilc VC does not accumulate in blood and predictions of the increases in D 5 in fat with repeat exposures in rats agreed with experiments. In general, the major characteristic favoring accumulation of VCs in blood and systemic tissues is poor whole-body clearance, not lipophilicty. The term bioaccumulation should be used to refer to cases where repeat exposures lead to increases in VC blood (or central compartment) concentration. Based on this definition, highly cleared VCs, such as D 5, would not be considered to bioaccumulate on repeat exposures.

Emergency Department Hazardous Materials Protocol for Contaminated Patients

Emergency department handling and treatment of chemically contaminated patients can have potentially serious consequences. Medical staff can be exposed to hazardous chemicals through dermal contact or inhalation of volatile compounds or particulate matter. Exposure can result in symptomatic illness from either a direct chemical toxic effect or an odor-mediated psychologic response. Either situation can severely affect ED function and lead to facility evacuation. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations standards and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations for participation in community hazardous materials incident emergency response plans require hospital EDs to prepare for hazardous materials incidents. This study provides a template protocol for ED preparation for and treatment of patients exposed to hazardous materials. [Burgess JL, Kirk M, Borron SW, Cisek J: Emergency department hazardous materials protocol for contaminated patients. Ann Emerg Med August 1999;34:205-212.]