Citation

Gummin DD. Toxicol. Lett. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Children's Hospital of Wiconsin, United States. Electronic address: dgummin@chw.org.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.toxlet.2019.12.017

PMID

31881244

Abstract

Potent opioids are increasingly responsible for morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives are increasingly prevalent as adulterants or substitutes for opioid drugs of abuse in Europe and in North America. Trafficking and distribution of these chemicals evolves continuously and is poorly characterized at this time. Rescue and emergency personnel are increasingly concerned with the possibility of unintentional environmental exposures that might occur in the course of their operational duties. There is evidence that opioid agonists have been broadcast or applied directly in an offensive manner as incapacitating agents. Defending against toxicity from such agents requires a thoughtful plan for protection, decontamination, and treatment.

Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

Keywords

chemical defense; environmental toxicity; fentalogs; fentanyl