Diagnosis of an acute parathion-intoxication and forensic consequences

During a toxicological screening of a 16-year-old girl, in a clinical toxic ological case, a parathion-intoxication has been detected. GC/MS revealed t he presence of ethyl parathion in the gastric content and p-nitrophenol in urine. p-Nitrophenol is a major metabolite of ethyl-parathion, A serum conc entration of 0.07mg/L of ethyl parathion was measured by GC/MS-SIM. During hospitalisation the severity of parathion intoxication was monitored by measurement of pseudo-cholinesterase activities in serum. The young gir l recovered well of her intoxication after a few days, without any apparent sequellae. A preliminary inquiry revealed that the adolescent had consumed a bowl of s oup at the home of a 67-year-old female neighbour, who died the same day. H er corpse was found at her home. The certificate of death, written by the d octor in charge, attested a heart failure. Due to the results of the toxico logical analyses from the kid, the juridical authorities ordered an autopsy of the corpse of the lady. Ethyl parathion was found in the gastric conten t and p-nitrophenol in urine. Even after several temptations it has not bee n possible to detect ethyl parathion neither in blood nor in some organs. B ut it was possible to detect traces of p-nitrophenol her blood.