Problems of Forensic Sciences 2011 Vol. 88 (LXXXVIII) 345-353
A CASE OF INTOXICATION WITH ZINC PHOSPHIDE
Józefa Krystyna Sadlik
Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
Streszczenie
This paper presents a case of poisoning of a male whose death occurred about 3 hours after onset of pain in his abdomen. The autopsy revealed semi-liquid contents in the stomach “with a distinct odour of carbide”. Post-mortem material together with a public prosecutor’s decision (request) for an expert opinion on the presence of carbide (calcium carbide, CaC2) or any other poisons in the stomach contents were sent to the Institute of Forensic Research. This material (stomach contents) and also blood and urine specimens were analysed using appropriate chemical tests, flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F AAS) and optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP OES). As a result of these studies, a large amount of PH3, zinc (Zn) and phosphorus (P) were detected in the stomach contents. The calcium concentration was relatively low, and aluminium (Al) was not detected. It was estimated that the stomach contents sample sent for the testing contained 5 g Zn3P2, which could constitute a lethal dose. The concentration of Zn in the blood and urine samples was 11.4 and 0.44 μg/ml, respectively, being slightly above the upper range limit and within the normally found range, respectively. Application of FAAS and ICP OES in this study to determination of Zn and Ca allowed the detection of Zn3P2 and estimation of the dose and also ruled out the presence of CaC2. ICP OES enabled quantification of P and Al, and therefore confirmation of poisoning by Zn3P2 and exclusion of AlP poisoning.