Citation

Tsoukali H, Raikos N, Theodoridis G, Psaroulis D. Forensic Sci. Int. 2004; 143(2-3): 127-132.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.02.032

PMID

15240032

Abstract

A simple and rapid procedure for the determination of methyl-parathion (m-p) in post-mortem biological samples was developed using headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography (GC) with nitrogen-phosphorous detection (NPD). Methyl-parathion was extracted on 85 microm polyacrylate SPME fiber. Salt addition, extraction temperature, and extraction time were optimized to enhance the sensitivity of the method. The linearity (y = 0.0473x - 0.0113, R2 = 0.9992) and the dynamic range (0.1-40 microg/ml) were found very satisfactory. The recoveries of methyl-parathion were found to be 46% in spiked human whole blood, 53% in spiked homogenized liver tissue, and 54% in spiked homogenized kidney tissue compared with samples prepared in water. The coefficients of variations for 2, 4, and 20 microg/ml of methyl-parathion in blood ranged from 0.9 to 5.1%, whereas the detection limit of the method was satisfactory (1 ng/ml in aqueous samples, 50 ng/ml in whole blood). The developed procedure was applied to post-mortem biological samples from a 21-year-old woman fatally poisoned (suicide) by intravenous injection of methyl-parathion. The intact insecticide was found in the post-mortem blood at a concentration of 24 microg/ml. No methyl-parathion was detected in the liver, kidneys, and gastric contents.

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Chromatography, Gas; Female; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Insecticides; Kidney; Liver; Methyl Parathion; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Reproducibility of Results; Suicide; Water