Problems of Forensic Sciences 2006 Vol. 66 (LXVI) 185-192
POTASSIUM AS A TOXIC ELEMENT
Józefa Krystyna SADLIK
Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
Streszczenie
Potassium plays a fundamental role in many physiological processes of the human organism and is the main intracellular ion. Both a deficiency of potassium in the organism and an excess are harmful and may lead to death. The most important compound of this element, potassium chloride, is applied in medicine and other fields. Cases of poisoning by this compound, both accidental and intentional (homicides and suicides) are known, and can be caused by intravenous or oral administration. Establishment on the basis of results of chemo-toxicological analysis of autopsy material that potassium chloride was the cause of death is very difficult or impossible. In the paper a case of fatal poisoning by potassium chloride, which was administered orally, is presented. Autopsy material submitted for examination (internal organ samples, blood samples) and autopsy materials originating from other dead persons were subjected to analysis for potassium content. Potassium content (in mg/g) in the studied case amounted to: blood – 3.07; liver – 2.33; kidney – 3.18; stomach (stomach wall) – 6.89; stomach content – 5.56; intestine – 3.09 and 4.32 (small and large intestine), and in other cases (mean values): in blood – 2.43; in liver – 2.15; kidney – 1.79, stomach – 1.75, small intestine – 1.81. On the basis of the studied cases and data from the literature, the mentioned difficulties in confirming or excluding poisonings by potassium compounds are discussed.
Słowa kluczowe
Potassium; Poisonings; Content in internal organs.