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Fatal Accidental Hydrogen Sulfide Poisoning: A Domestic Case
Author(s) -
Sastre Caroline,
BaillifCouniou Valérie,
Kintz Pascal,
Cirimele Vincent,
Bartoli Christophe,
ChristiaLotter MarieAmandine,
PiercecchiMarti MarieDominique,
Leonetti Georges,
PelissierAlicot AnneLaure
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12015
Subject(s) - hydrogen sulfide , accidental , medicine , inhalation , acute toxicity , poison control , waste management , medical emergency , toxicology , anesthesia , chemistry , toxicity , biology , engineering , organic chemistry , sulfur , physics , acoustics
Hydrogen sulfide ( H 2 S ) poisonings are classically reported in occupational settings. We describe an unusual domestic case of fatal acute poisoning by H 2 S inhalation. A mother and her infant daughter were found dead in the kitchen of their home. The emergency medical team described a strong smell of rotten eggs, suggesting acute H 2 S poisoning. Autopsies revealed only multiorgan congestion. H 2 S was measured in blood and lung tissue samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Body fluids were negative, but H 2 S was found in the lungs of both the mother and the child at concentrations of 1.46 and 1.92 mg/kg, respectively, concentrations described in the literature as potentially lethal. Expert surveys of the premises suggested a complex mechanism involving both defective maintenance of the pipes and drains of the building and faulty assembly of the sink siphon, which led to stagnation of waste water and formation of a pocket of H 2 S.