Skip to main content
Log in

Fatality due to inhalation of dimethyl sulfide in a confined space: A case report and animal experiments

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A man was found dead in a tank where gaseous dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was present. The concentrations of DMS in the blond and tissue samples were measured by gas chromatography. Mice were experimentally exposed to various concentrations (5%–55%) of gascons DMS in a confined space and the course of death and DMS distribution in the bodies were observed to obtain diagnostic criteria for DMS poisoning. As a result it was considered that the cause of death of the victim was consistent with a combination of DMS poisoning and asphyxia due to a hypoxic atmosphere.

Zusammenfassung

Ein Mann wurde tot in einem Tank vorgefunden, welcher Dimethylsulfid (DMS) in gasförmigem Zustand enthielt. Die Konzentrationen von DMS wurden im Blut und in den Geweben mit Hilfe der Gaschromatographie bestimmt. Mäuse wurden experimentell verschiedenen Konzentrationen (5–55%) von gasförmigem DMS in einem geschlossenen Raum exponiert und das Sterbegeschehen und die DMS-Verteilung in den Körpern wurde beobachtet, um diagnostische Kriterien für die DMS-Vergiftung zu erhalten. Für den gegenständlichen Fall wurde angenommen, daß der Tod durch eine Kombination von DMS-Vergiftung und Sauerstoffmangel aufgrund einer hypoxischen Atmosphäre zu erklären war.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Greenberg SR (1989) The confined space. A review of a recently discerned medical entity. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 10:31–36

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Takatori, T, Terazawa K (1980) A case report: determination of methane gas in cadaveric tissues from a coal-mine accident by gas chromatography. Hokkaido J Med Sei 55:363–365

    Google Scholar 

  3. Takatori T, Tomii S, Terazawa K (1981) Medicolegal studies on death from coal-mine accident by gas spurt (in Japanese). Jpn J Legal Med 35:462–467

    Google Scholar 

  4. Terazawa K, Takatori T, Tomii S, Nakano K (1985) Methane asphyxia coal mine accident investigation of distribution of gas. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 6:211–214

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Terazawa K, Kaji H, Akabane H, Takatori T (1991) Determination of dimethyl sulphide in blood and adipose tissue by headspace gas analysis. J Chromatogr 565:453–456

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kaji H, HisamuraM, Saito N, Murao M (1978) Gas chromatographic determination of volatile sulfur compounds in the expired alveolar air in hepatopathic subjects. J Chromatogr 145:464–468

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. The Merck index, 11th edn (1989) Merck, Rahway

  8. Tansy MF, Kendall FM, Fantasia J, Landin WE, Oberly R (1981) Acute and subchronic toxicity studies of rats exposed to vapors of methyl mercaptan and other reduced-sulfur compounds. J Toxicol Environ Health 8:71–88

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ljunggren G, Norberg B (1943) On the effect and toxicity of dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and methyl mercaptan. Acta Physiol Scand 5:248–255

    Google Scholar 

  10. Zieve L, Doizaki WM, Zieve FJ (1974) Synergism between mercaptans and ammonia or fatty acids in the production of coma: a possible role for mercaptans in the pathogenesis of hepatic coma. J Lab Clin Med 83:16–28

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Akaishi S (1967) Rinshoi no tame no hoigaku (in Japanese). Nankodo, Tokyo

  12. Takahama K, Kikuda Y. (1986) A fatal case of acute methylmercaptan poisoning (in Japanese). Res Pract Forensic Med 29:101–106

    Google Scholar 

  13. Manning T, Ziminski K, Hyman A, Figueroa G, Lukash L (1981) Methane deaths? Was it the cause? Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2:333–336

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Terazawa, K., Mizukami, K., Wu, B. et al. Fatality due to inhalation of dimethyl sulfide in a confined space: A case report and animal experiments. Int J Leg Med 104, 141–144 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01369718

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01369718

Key words

Schlüsselwörter

Navigation