JIST

Abstract

Soluble compounds of chromium are widely used in industrial processes, including printing, photography, pyrotechnics, dyeing, electroplating, aircraft, shipbuilding, and leather tanning. Exposure in industry workers is generally via the inhalation of dusts and fumes. Ingestion of chromium (chromate or dichromate salt) has occurred accidentally in suicide attempts and during drug experimentation, and may cause ulceration of the bowel, diarrhoea, haemorrhagic diathesis, acute renal failure, and hepatic damage. Ingestion of hexavalent chromium compounds is considered to be one hundred times more toxic than the trivalent compounds.

Here we present two cases of fatal suicidal poisoning with printing ink (ammonium dichromate) reported to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Victoria Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru.