copper poisoniong forensic toxicology.pdf

copper poisoniong forensic toxicology

2. Introduction
•Copper as a metal is not poisonous.
•Copper compounds are powerful inhibitions of enzymeslike catalase and peroxidase.
•USES:
•Insecticides
•Fungicides
•Algicide(to destroy algae in swimming pool)
•Alloys: e.g. brass ( with zinc), bronze (with tin) and money (with nickel)
•Pigments: copper chromate, red copper oxide.

3. Poisonous Compounds
1.Copper sulphate(blue vitriol)-large, blue crystals.
2.Copper subacetate(verdigris)-bluish-green masses or powder.
3.Copper acetoarsenite–Paris green
4.Copper aresnite–Scheele’s green
5.Copper carbonate –Brunswick green.

4. नीलाथोथायातूततया

5. जंगाल, verdigris

6. Commercial and Domestic Uses
•To fulfil the copper deficiency in plants and leaves.
•To keep vegetables and fruits fresh.
•To keep leafy vegetables appear green.
•As a fungicides in agriculture and horticulture. (one of the powerful
fungicides. BETADINE OF PLANTS)
•As insecticides.
•For colouringagents.

7. Sings and Symptoms
•Symptoms appear in 15 to 30 minutes.
•Metallic taste, increased salivation, burning pain in the stomach with colicky abdominal pain,
thirst, nausea, eructation and repeated vomiting.
•The vomiting matter is blue and green.
•There is diarrhea with much straining, motions are liquid and brown bit not bloody.
•Oliguria, haematuria, albuminuria, acidosis and uraemiamay occur.
•In severe cases haemolysis, hemoglobinuria, methhaemoglobinaemia, jaundice, pancreatitis and
cramps of legs or spasms and convulsions occur.
•In some cases, paralysis of limbs is followed by drowsiness, insensibility, coma and death due to
shock. Later death occur due to heapticand renal failure or both.

8. Sings and Symptoms
•INHALATION OF VAPOURS: Acute inhalation of large dose of copper dusts or
fumes can cause upper respiratory irritation resulting in sore throat and cough.
Conjunctivitis, palpebral odema and sinus irritation may also occur. Nasal mucous
membrane may show atrophy with perforation.
•Exposure of the skin to copper compounds may cause an irritant contact
dermatitis, and severe exposure may cause greenish-blue discoloration of skin.
•EXPOSURE to EYE: copper alloy foreign body lodged in eye (chalcosislentis)
resulting in uveitis, abscess.

10. •FATAL DOSE:
•Copper sulphate: 30 mg
•Copper subacetate: 15 mg
•FATAL PERIOD:
•1-3 DAYS.

11. TREATMENT
1.Stomach wash: 1% solution of potassium ferrocyanide( also acts an
antidote by forming insoluble cupric ferrocyanide.
2.Emetics are contraindicated.
3.Demulcent drinks from insoluble albuminateof copper.
4.Hemodialysis is useful in the early stage poisoning.
5.Castor oil is given to remove poison from intestines.
6.Chelation with penicillamineor EDTA or BAL.

12. Chronic poisoning
•Inhalation of copper sulphatespray used as an insecticides can cause
Vineyard sprayer’s lung disease.
•Chronic copper toxicity is the hallmark of Wilson’s disease-autosomal disease of
deficiency of ceruloplasmin.
•Discolourationof peripheral part of cornea (Kayser-Fleisher ring).

14. an occupational lung disease caused by inhaling
the Bordeaux mixture, a copper sulfate
and lime solution used to prevent mildew.
The chronic inhalation of this pesticide leads to
lung damage, with symptoms including chronic
cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
Fibrosis of lung
parenchyma
VINEYARD’S SPRAYER DISEASE:
Worker spraying copper sulphate
as a fungicide on grape plants without PPE.

15. Chronic poisoning
•CIRCUMSTANCES: it may occur in workers with the metal due to
inhalation of dust or from food being contaminated by verdigris.
•Chronic inhalation of copper sulphatespray: causes VINEYARD
SPRAYER’S lung disease characterized by a histolytic granulomatous lung.
•Chronic poisoning causes: Wilson’s disease.

16. Signs and symptoms
•Gradual anemia.
•Green line on gums
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Colic
•Diarrhoea
•Malaise
•Peripheral neuritis
•Degeneration and atrophy of muscles.

17. Signs and symptoms
•The presence of copper deposits in the tissues is called CHALCOSIS.
•Copper may be deposited in the cornea resulting in a pigmented ring in the
deeper layers.
•Chronic contact with swimming pool water containing algicidalcopper
chemicals can cause green hair discoloration.

18. Test
•Ammonium hydroxide gives a greenish-blue precipitate, which is soluble in
excess and forms a blue solution.
•Blood copper level: >1.5 mcg/100mL is significant.

19. Absorption and Excretion
•Copper is a normal constituent of the body.
•Copper content of the body: 150 mg.
•ABSORPTION: lungs, mucous membranes and raw surfaces.
•It is excreted more by the bowelsthan by the kidneys and in traces in
saliva, bile and milk.

20. The Circumstances of Poisoning
•1) It is rarely used for HOMICIDE because of colour and taste.
•2) SUICIDE: In India, suicidal ingestion of copper sulphateis high in past decades.
•3) ACCIDENTAL:
•Eating food from contaminated with verdigris which is formed from the action of vegetable acid on
copper cooking vessels which are not properly tinned on the inside.
•Ingestion of food to which copper has been added to keep the green colour of the vegetables may
cause poisoning.
•Children sometimes swallow copper out of curiosity and attracted by its colour.
•The salts are taken internally for abortion.
•CATTLE POISONING: rare

21. METAL FUME FEVER
BRASS CHILLS BRAZIER DISEASE
FOUNDRY FEVER MONDAY FEVER
SMELTER DSHAKES

22. METAL FUME FEVER
•CAUSE: inhalation of fumes of zinc, copper, silver, chromium. Cadmium, cobalt, antimony
and manganese.
•OCCUPATION AFFECTED: welding, galvanizing, smelting, metal refining, electroplating,
alloy making, ship breaking, etc.
•SYNDROME RESEMBLES FLU LIKE ILLNESS which starts 6 to 8 hours after exposure
of fumes, with fever, chills, cough, dyspnea, cyanosis, myalgia, salivation, sweating and
tachycardia.
•Symptoms subside in 36 hours after stoppage of exposure.
•TREATMENT: symptomatic, chelation therapy.