Case Report, J Forensic Toxicol Pharmacol Vol: 4 Issue: 1
A Death Involving Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure from a Domestic Sink Drain
| Bheemraj Ramoo1, Megha Garg2,3, C Clinton Frazee1, Diane C Peterson3, Uttam Garg1*, Robert Pietak3 and Mary H Dudley3 | |
| 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Gillham Road, Kansas City, USA |
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| 2Saint Louis University, USA | |
| 3The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office, Kansas City, Missouri, USA | |
| Corresponding author : Uttam Garg, Ph.D Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA Tel: + 816 983 6964; Fax: 816 802 1492 E-mail: ugarg@cmh.edu |
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| Received: February 18, 2015 Accepted: March 11, 2015 Published: March 13, 2015 | |
| Citation: Ramoo B, Garg M, Frazee CC, Peterson DC, Garg U, et al. (2015) A Death Involving Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure from a Domestic Sink Drain. J Forensic Toxicol Pharmacol 4:1. doi:10.4172/2325-9841.1000136 |
Abstract
A Death Involving Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure from a Domestic Sink Drain
A case of 44?year old white asthmatic female is reported who died after attempting to unclog a kitchen sink drain. A strong odor of “sewer gas” was detected in the residence. Autopsy revealed a dusky gray?green discoloration to the gray matter of the cerebral hemispheres which was indicative of hydrogen sulfide exposure. Toxicology drug screening detected the presence of amphetamines, cannabinoids and ethanol. The femoral blood thiosulfate concentration was 15.5 µg/mL and sulfhemoglobin concentration was 6.3%. Urine thiosulfate was determined to be 9.4 mg /g creatinine. Cause of death was ruled as the result of hydrogen sulfide intoxication with methamphetamine abuse and asthma as contributing factors.
