Three cases of sudden death due to butane or propane gas inhalation: analysis of tissues for gas components

• Published in: Forensic science international 2004-07, Vol.143 (2), p.211-214
• Main Authors: Sugie, Hideaki, Sasaki, Chizuko, Hashimoto, Chikako, Takeshita, Hiroshi, Nagai, Tomonori, Nakamura, Shigeki, Furukawa, Masataka, Nishikawa, Takashi, Kurihara, Katsuyoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - chemistry; Administration, Inhalation; Adolescent; Adult; Analysis; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Chemistry; Butane; Butane abuse; Butanes - analysis; Butanes - poisoning; Cardiac dysrhythmias; Cardiology. Vascular system; Causes of; Chromatography, Gas; Cigarette lighter fuel; Death; Death, Sudden - etiology; Emergency and intensive care: neonates and children. Prematurity. Sudden death; Forensic sciences; Gases; Heart; Heart attacks; Humans; Hypoxia; Hypoxia - chemically induced; Intensive care medicine; Investigations; Kidney - chemistry; Liquefied petroleum gas; Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); Liver - chemistry; LPG; Lung - chemistry; Lungs; Male; Medical sciences; Myocardium - chemistry; Portable cooking stove fuel; Propane; Propane - analysis; Propane - poisoning; Propane abuse; Substance abuse; Ventricular Fibrillation - chemically induced; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile substance abuse
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.02.038

We report three cases of sudden death due to inhalation of portable cooking stove fuel (case 1), cigarette lighter fuel (case 2), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (case 3). Specimens of blood, urine, stomach contents, brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, and fat were collected and analyzed for propylene, propane, isobutane, and n-butane by headspace gas chromatography. n-Butane was the major substance among the volatiles found in the tissues of cases 1 and 2, and propane was the major substance in case 3. A combination of the autopsy findings and the gas analysis results revealed that the cause of death was ventricular fibrillation induced by hard muscle exercise after gas inhalation in cases 1 and 2, and that the cause of death in case 3 might be hypoxia. It is possible that the victim in case 3 was under anesthetic toxicity of accumulated isobutane which is a minor component of liquefied petroleum gas.