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Assessment of chemical asphyxia caused by toxic gases generated from rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) fires.
Forensic Sci Int. 2021 Nov; 328:111011.FS

Abstract

Rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) is widely used for thermal and sound insulation owing to their low thermal conductivity and light weight. However, they have serious disadvantages, including flammability and toxic gas generation, which can cause chemical asphyxia during a fire. Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) are representative toxic gases formed by incomplete combustion and HCN, in particular, is closely related to polyurethane product fires. In this study, the risk of inhalation of toxic gases such as CO, HCN and NO2 during RPUF fires was demonstrated convincingly through the analysis of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), cyanide (CN-) and methemoglobin (MetHb) in the postmortem blood samples of 38 victims of RPUF fires. To better understand the toxic gas poisoning and chemical asphyxia, we classified all cases into two groups based on the extent of injuries and location where the victim was found. Mean concentrations of COHb and cyanide in group 1 without injuries were approximately two times higher than in group 2 with severe injuries, while concentrations of free MetHb showing possibility of NO2 inhalation were approximately six times lower than in group 2. Furthermore, we presumed concentrations of cyanide at the time of death and five cases showed the possibility of cyanide poisoning.

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Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Son MH
Department of Forensic Chemistry, National Forensic Service, 10, Ipchun-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26460, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sonmh07@korea.kr.
Kim Y
Department of Forensic Chemistry, National Forensic Service, 10, Ipchun-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26460, Republic of Korea.
Jo YH
Department of Forensic Chemistry, National Forensic Service, 10, Ipchun-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26460, Republic of Korea.
Kwon M
Department of Forensic Chemistry, National Forensic Service, 10, Ipchun-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26460, Republic of Korea.

MeSH

AsphyxiaCarbon Monoxide PoisoningCarboxyhemoglobinCyanidesFiresGasesHumansHydrogen CyanideMethemoglobinNitrogen DioxidePolyurethanes

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

34571246

Citation

Son, Min-Hui, et al. "Assessment of Chemical Asphyxia Caused By Toxic Gases Generated From Rigid Polyurethane Foam (RPUF) Fires." Forensic Science International, vol. 328, 2021, p. 111011.
Son MH, Kim Y, Jo YH, et al. Assessment of chemical asphyxia caused by toxic gases generated from rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) fires. Forensic Sci Int. 2021;328:111011.
Son, M. H., Kim, Y., Jo, Y. H., & Kwon, M. (2021). Assessment of chemical asphyxia caused by toxic gases generated from rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) fires. Forensic Science International, 328, 111011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111011
Son MH, et al. Assessment of Chemical Asphyxia Caused By Toxic Gases Generated From Rigid Polyurethane Foam (RPUF) Fires. Forensic Sci Int. 2021;328:111011. PubMed PMID: 34571246.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Assessment of chemical asphyxia caused by toxic gases generated from rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) fires. AU - Son,Min-Hui, AU - Kim,Yuna, AU - Jo,Young-Hoon, AU - Kwon,Mia, Y1 - 2021/09/20/ PY - 2021/05/30/received PY - 2021/09/14/revised PY - 2021/09/18/accepted PY - 2021/9/28/pubmed PY - 2022/2/10/medline PY - 2021/9/27/entrez KW - CO KW - Chemical asphyxia KW - HCN and NO(2) KW - Rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) fires SP - 111011 EP - 111011 JF - Forensic science international JO - Forensic Sci Int VL - 328 N2 - Rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) is widely used for thermal and sound insulation owing to their low thermal conductivity and light weight. However, they have serious disadvantages, including flammability and toxic gas generation, which can cause chemical asphyxia during a fire. Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) are representative toxic gases formed by incomplete combustion and HCN, in particular, is closely related to polyurethane product fires. In this study, the risk of inhalation of toxic gases such as CO, HCN and NO2 during RPUF fires was demonstrated convincingly through the analysis of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), cyanide (CN-) and methemoglobin (MetHb) in the postmortem blood samples of 38 victims of RPUF fires. To better understand the toxic gas poisoning and chemical asphyxia, we classified all cases into two groups based on the extent of injuries and location where the victim was found. Mean concentrations of COHb and cyanide in group 1 without injuries were approximately two times higher than in group 2 with severe injuries, while concentrations of free MetHb showing possibility of NO2 inhalation were approximately six times lower than in group 2. Furthermore, we presumed concentrations of cyanide at the time of death and five cases showed the possibility of cyanide poisoning. SN - 1872-6283 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/34571246/Assessment_of_chemical_asphyxia_caused_by_toxic_gases_generated_from_rigid_polyurethane_foam__RPUF__fires_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -