Sudden death involving inhalation of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a) with spray cleaner: three case reports.

Abstract

Spray cleaner is a cleaning product containing compressed 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a) to blow dust off electric devices and other sensitive equipment; however, it is also inhaled to induce euphoria. This report describes three cases of death involving HFC-152a inhalation with spray cleaner under different circumstances. In case 1, death was during inhalation for euphoria with which led to having frostbite. In case 2, death may have been associated with suicidal intention. Case 3 was also considered an accidental autoerotic death. In all three cases, HFC-152a was detected at 99.2-136.2mg/l in blood samples, 94.5-191.9 mg/l in urine samples and 3.6-18.4 mg in the gastric contents according to gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. To prevent death associated with HFC-152a inhalation from spray cleaner, the danger of the sudden death should be announced to people, given the ready availability of commercial products containing HFC-152a.

• Authors: Kentaro Sakai, Kyoko Maruyama-Maebashi, Akihiro Takatsu, Kenji Fukui, Tomonori Nagai, Miwako Aoyagi, Eriko Ochiai, Kimiharu Iwadate
• Journal: Forensic science international (Forensic Sci Int) Vol. 206 Issue 1-3 Pg. e58-61 (Mar 20 2011) ISSN: 1872-6283 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 20875935 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Aerosols
• Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
• Solvents
• 1,1-difluoroethane

Topics

• Accidents
• Administration, Inhalation
• Aerosols (poisoning)
• Death, Sudden (etiology)
• Edema (pathology)
• Flame Ionization
• Forensic Toxicology
• Frostbite (chemically induced)
• Gastrointestinal Contents (chemistry)
• Humans
• Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated (administration & dosage, analysis, poisoning)
• Inhalant Abuse (complications)
• Lung (pathology)
• Solvents (administration & dosage, analysis, poisoning)
• Suicide