A fatal case of oral ingestion of methanol. Distribution in postmortem tissues and fluids including pericardial fluid and vitreous humor

Forensic Sci Int. 1991 Mar;49(2):193-6. doi: 10.1016/0379-0738(91)90079-x.

Abstract

A 41-year-old man ingested orally a large quantity of methanol and was found dead at home. The presence of methanol in body fluids and tissues was determined by head-space gas chromatography. The blood ethanol and acetone were negative. Tissue distribution of methanol showed that the kidney presented the highest content of methanol (5.13 g/kg) followed by liver (4.18 g/kg), vitreous humor (3.96 g/l), heart (3.45 g/kg), urine (3.43 g/l), pericardial fluid (3.29 g/l), blood (2.84 g/l) and finally stomach content (2.21 g/l).

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / pathology
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Methanol / pharmacokinetics
  • Methanol / poisoning*
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Methanol