In Vitro Absorption of Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen Cyanide in Undisturbed Pooled Blood

Thoren TM, Thompson KS, Cardona PS, Chaturvedi AK, Canfield DV

FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine - Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

关键词: Forensic Science;    Toxicology;    Fire Gases;    Carbon Monoxide;    Hydrogen Cyanide;    Aviation Accident Investigation;   

RP-ID  :  DOT/FAA/AM-12/13

美国|英语

来源: Federal Aviation Administration

【 摘 要 】

Biologicalsamples from victims of aircraft accidents are analyzed for carboxyhemoglobin(COHb) and cyanide ion (CN^-) in blood. Such victims quite often suffer largeopen wounds near the autopsy blood collection sites. Many aircraft crashesresult in fires that fill the victim's atmosphere with smoke rich in carbonmonoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). It is important to determine whetherpooled blood in those open wounds may have absorbed CO and HCN after death,which could lead one to erroneously conclude that the presence of COHb and CN^-in blood was the result of breathing in these combustion gases.