Post-Mortem Analysis of Diazinon and its major Metabolite, 2-isopropyl-4- methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine, in a Case of Fatal Diazinon Ingestion

Abstract

This case report describes a detection and quantitation method
for diazinon and its major metabolite, 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine
(IMHP), in postmortem blood and tissue samples
from a fatal case of diazinon ingestion. Diazinon and IMHP were
extracted from postmortem samples with a liquid/liquid method
and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS).
By comparing to diazinon standard and matching the retention
time, diazinon was detected in two visceral organs, the stomach
(0.89 μg/g) and the small intestine (8.80 μg/g). The highest level
of diazinon was detected in the small intestine (8.80 μg/g), whereas
the highest amount of IMHP was noted in the kidney (0.84 Area %)
and bladder (0.75 Area %).
In conclusion, determination of IMHP in postmortem samples
could be used as an indicator for diazinon exposure, especially in
the case of delayed death; whereas, the small intestine could be
the best source of sample in diazinon assessment in cases of fatal
diazinon ingestion.