A comparative study of direct hemoperfusion and hemodialysis for the removal of glufosinate ammonium.

BASTA is a herbicide containing glufosinate ammonium 18.5% and a surface-active agent. There were six fatalities in 34 cases of glufosinate ammonium poisoning reported by the Japan Poison Information Center. To evaluate efficacy in the removal of glufosinate ammonium from the blood, two bottles were prepared containing 600 mL of heparinized bovine blood with 1 mL or 3 mL of BASTA. Direct hemoperfusion or hemodialysis was performed for two hours at a flow rate of 50 mL/min. The final glufosinate ammonium concentration of the blood bottle containing 1 mL of BASTA decreased to 96.9% of the initial concentration after direct hemoperfusion and to 0.5% after hemodialysis. The final glufosinate ammonium concentration of the bottle containing 3 mL of BASTA decreased to 62.2% after direct hemoperfusion and to 0.9% after hemodialysis. Hemodialysis is more effective than direct hemoperfusion for removal of glufosinate ammonium from blood.