[Fulminant hepatitis after the inhalation of dichloropropanols].

A fatal case of acute fulminant hepatitis following exposure to dichloropropanols is reported. A 59-year-old male worker in a chemical plant developed general malaise, nausea and vomiting several hours after cleaning a tank that had contained dichloropropanols. He had no previous history of hepatic dysfunction. On admission, hepatomegaly was prominent. Because of highly elevated levels of GOT and GPT in the serum, reduced prothrombin time and a lowered consciousness level, a diagnosis of fulminant hepatitis was made. Significant decreases of leukocytes and platelets were also observed. Serum creatinine and BUN were slightly elevated. Although plasma exchanges were conducted on the third and fourth day, the liver functions continued to deteriorate. The patient died on the fifth day. Because dichloropropanols could be detected in the blood specimens obtained at the time of admission, we considered that fulminant hepatitis in this case was attributed to dichloropropanols exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first case of fulminant hepatitis after dichloropropanols-exposure.

[Induction of sister chromatide exchange by trichloroethylene and its metabolites (author's transl)]. / Induction d'échanges entre les chromatides soeurs (SCE) par le trichloréthylène et ses métabolites.

The mutagenecity of trichloroethylene and its metabolites (trichloroethanol and chloral hydrate) have been tested by using the method of sister chromatide exchanges (SCE). We have found the increasing SCE in workers chronically exposed to trichloroethylene. The increasing of SCE was also observed when the human lymphocytes were exposed to trichloroethanol and chloral hydrate in vitro in certain concentrations. The all results of tests groups are compared with those of the control groups and the difference is statistically significant.

Analysis of chlormethiazole, ethchlorvynol and trichloroethanol in biological fluids by gas-liquid chromatography as an aid to the diagnosis of acute poisoning.

A simple method has been developed whereby chlormethiazole, ethchlorvynol and trichloroethanol can be simultaneously detected and measured in biological fluids. The procedure is based upon the rapid extraction of a small (50-microliter) sample volume with an equal volume of chloroform containing an internal standard, followed by the gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of this extract. Specimens of blood plasma or serum, urine and gastric contents can be used, and no interference from either endogenous or exogenous sources has been observed. The method is suitable for the measurement of the plasma concentrations of these compounds attained after overdosage.