NCJ Number
146663
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 39 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1994) Pages: 271-279
Date Published
1994
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A 39-year-old female who lived alone was discovered dead in her home, and the cause of death was determined to be acetonitrile poisoning.
Abstract
The subject was found dead and unclothed on her bathroom floor 30 hours after last being seen alive. There was no evidence of foul play and no notes or other indications of suicide. A blood sedative screen was negative, and only diphenhydramine was found by urine organic base analysis. An examination of blood and urine for volatiles produced an unexpected peak by gas chromatography analysis, which was then identified as acetonitrile by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Acetonitrile concentrations were 31 and 56 mg/dL in two separate blood samples and 44 mg/dL in urine. The blood cyanide concentration was 4.4 micrograms/mL. The cause of death was determined to be acetonitrile poisoning, although the source of acetonitrile was not discovered. 18 references and 2 tables