JIST

Abstract

India is predominantly an agricultural country and therefore use of zinc phosphide (ZnP) as a rodenticide is frequent. Its misuse as a suicidal agent is consequently often reported. The present study was undertaken to quantitatively estimate the value of zinc in ZnP poisoning deaths autopsied in the mortuary of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Out of a total 2734 medicolegal autopsies conducted during the period from January 2010 to November 2011, 124 cases (4.5%) were reported as suspected poisoning, of which 8 cases were brought with alleged history of ZnP poisoning. Since the cause of death is usually certified on the basis of police inquest proceedings, postmortem findings and presence of phosphine in viscera during toxicological examination, a particular case may be reported as a false positive, since putrefied viscera also tests positive. Therefore, cause of death remains inconclusive in many cases.

In the present study, hospitalized deaths with alleged history of zinc phosphide poisoning were included, and estimation of zinc was done using trace metal analyzer (TMA) in different biological samples – blood, heart, kidney, liver, stomach contents and intestinal contents. By comparing the values with the quantities in control samples it was found that quantitative estimation of metal (zinc) in ZnP poisoning provides significant results.