Ferrari L A, Arado M G, Giannuzzi L, Mastrantonio G, Guatelli M A
Laboratorio Química Forense, Suprema Corte de Justicia, 41 entre 119 y 120, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
Forensic Sci Int. 2001 Sep 15;121(1-2):140-3. doi: 10.1016/s0379-0738(01)00464-9.
Carbon monoxide is a well-known toxic component in fire atmospheres. However, the importance of hydrogen cyanide as a toxic agent in fire causalities is under discussion. A tragic polyurethane mattress fire provoked death of 35 convicts in a prison (Unit I, Olmos, Penitenciary Service of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina), in 1990. There is no report of any investigation carried out with such a large amount of victims in Argentina. Carboxihemoglobin (COHb) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) were quantified in victims blood to elucidate the cause of the death. Saturation of COHb ranged between 4 and 18%, and HCN 2.0-7.2mg/l. These latter values were higher than the lethal levels reported in literature. Other toxic components routinely measured (ethanol, methanol, aldehydes and other volatile compounds) gave negative results on the 35 cases. Neither drugs of abuse nor psychotropics were detected. Statistical chi(2) analysis was applied to find differences between HCN and COHb concentrations. Saturation of COHb and HCN in blood were not independent variables (chi(2)=8.25). Moreover, the ratio COHb/HCN was constant (0.47+/-0.04). In order to evaluate the contribution of each toxic to the diagnosis, a lethal index was defined for each toxic (LI(CO) and LI(HCN)). The most probable cause of death could be inferred by a suitable plot of both indexes. The results indicated that death in the 35 fire victims was probably caused by HCN, generated during the extensive polyurethane decomposition provoked by a rapid increase of temperature.
一氧化碳是火灾环境中一种广为人知的有毒成分。然而，氰化氢作为火灾致死因素的重要性仍在讨论之中。1990年，阿根廷布宜诺斯艾利斯省奥尔莫斯监狱（第一监狱）发生了一起悲剧性的聚氨酯床垫火灾，导致35名囚犯死亡。在阿根廷，没有针对如此多受害者进行任何调查的报告。对受害者血液中的碳氧血红蛋白（COHb）和氰化氢（HCN）进行了定量分析，以查明死因。COHb饱和度在4%至18%之间，HCN含量为2.0 - 7.2mg/l。后者的值高于文献报道的致死水平。常规检测的其他有毒成分（乙醇、甲醇、醛类和其他挥发性化合物）在这35例中均呈阴性结果。未检测到滥用药物或精神药物。应用统计学卡方分析来找出HCN和COHb浓度之间的差异。血液中COHb饱和度和HCN不是独立变量（卡方 = 8.25）。此外，COHb/HCN比值恒定（0.47±0.04）。为了评估每种毒物对诊断的贡献，为每种毒物定义了一个致死指数（LI(CO)和LI(HCN)）。通过绘制这两个指数的合适图表，可以推断出最可能的死因。结果表明，这35名火灾受害者的死亡可能是由温度快速升高引发的广泛聚氨酯分解过程中产生的HCN所致。
