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A fatality due to inhalation of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a) with a peculiar device

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Abstract

A man aged in his thirties was found dead in his room, wearing a gas mask connected with two plastic bags. An empty canister of Air Duster was in one of the plastic bags. Toxicological analysis by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry and GC-flame ionization detection revealed the presence of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a), which is a component of the Air Duster aerosol. Quantitative analysis showed that the concentration of 1,1-difluoroethane in his heart blood was as high as 546 μg/ml. The cause of death was diagnosed as acute poisoning by 1,1-difluoroethane. It was supposed that he abused the Air Duster product to obtain euphoria and inhaled 1,1-difluoroethane at excessive concentrations with the peculiar tight-fitting gas inhalation device, resulting in his death.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Legal Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 228-8555, Japan

    Chizuko Sasaki, Wataru Irie, Chikako Murakami, Naomi Nakamaru, Masataka Furukawa, Shigeki Nakamura & Katsuyoshi Kurihara

  2. Department of Pathophysiology, Yokohama College of Pharmacy, Yokohama, Japan

    Tatsuo Shinozuka

  3. Department of Pharmaceutical Science, International University of Health and Welfare, Ohtawara, Tochigi, Japan

    Takuma Nakamae

Authors
  1. Chizuko Sasaki
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  2. Tatsuo Shinozuka
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  3. Wataru Irie
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  4. Takuma Nakamae
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  5. Chikako Murakami
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  6. Naomi Nakamaru
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  7. Masataka Furukawa
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  8. Shigeki Nakamura
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  9. Katsuyoshi Kurihara
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Correspondence to Chizuko Sasaki.

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Sasaki, C., Shinozuka, T., Irie, W. et al. A fatality due to inhalation of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a) with a peculiar device. Forensic Toxicol 27, 45–48 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-008-0065-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-008-0065-7

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