Tissue distribution of trichloroethylene in a case of accidental acute intoxication by inhalation

This article describes the toxicological findings in a fatality due to an accidental inhalation of trichloroethylene which took place during wall coating of a poorly ventilated well using trichloroethylene. The man was wearing protective clothing and a mouthmask with adsorbent. He was found dead on the floor of the well 5h after descending. Trichloroethylene was added to the mortar to enhance drying. Identification and quantitation of trichloroethylene in the postmortem samples (blood, lung, liver, kidney, stomach content and bile) and identification of its metabolite trichloroacetic acid in urine was performed using static headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detector. The compounds were separated on a CP-SIL 5CB Low Bleed/MS column using n-butanol as internal standard. The method was linear over the specific range investigated, and showed an accuracy of 104% and an intra-day precision of 11%. Trichloroethylene concentrations of 84mg/l in subclavian blood, 40mg/l in femoral blood, 72mg/kg in liver, 12mg/kg in kidney, 78mg/kg in stomach content, 104mg/l in bile and 21mg/kg in lung were found. Trichloroacetic acid was identified in the urine.