Thallium poisoning and toxicological analysis

1. THALLIUM
SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:
POOJA BHADRA= 101FSMSFS2021
MAYURI A. LABADIYA= 101FSMSFS2021
ZAFIRABANU N. PARMAR= 101FSMSFS2021
DR. RAKHI MA’AM
DR. AAKANSHA MA’AM

2. CONTENT
 Introduction
 Thallium poisoning
 Action
 Toxic effect
 Diagnosis
 Treatment
 Toxicological analysis
 Medicolegal aspect

3.  Thallium
• Thallium is a chemical element with symbol Tl and atomic
number 81.
• Thallium was discovered by Sir William Crookes in 1861.
• metal that is not found free in nature.
• thallium is very soft and malleable and can be cut with a knife.
• Thallium is odourless and tasteless.
• Ideal homicidal poison. Freely soluble in water.
• Thallium poisoning is one of the most complex serious toxicities
known to man.
• fatal dose : 10-15mg/kg
• Fatal period : 24-30hours.

4.  Toxic compound of thallium
• Thallium and its compounds are highly toxic and should be handled with
great care.
• Thallium is especially toxic in its bivalent compound.
Thallium
sulfate
Thallium
acetate
Thallium
carbonate
Thallium
sulphide
Thallium
iodide

5.  Route of entry
Action
• It attacks potassium ions so potassium dependent enzymes don’t work.
• It also damages the ribosome.
• In PNS, it causes “dying back” or Wallerian neuropathy.
• Hair loss is caused due to stunted growth of hair follicles.

6.  Toxic effect
Acute toxicity
• Dryness in mouth
• Difficulty in
swallowing
• Pain in muscles, joints
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
Chronic toxicity
• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Tachycardia
• Epilation

7.  Treatment:
• Prussian blue or berlin blue (potassium ferro hexacyanoferrate )
is given to the patient.
• Pilocarpine acts as a physiological antidote.
• Stomach wash is done with potassium iodide.
• Potassium chloride enhances renal excretion of thallium.
• Haemodialysis may be useful within 48hr of ingestion.
• Physiotherapy- prevent muscle contractures
 Diagnosis:
• Extreme hair fall from head, eyebrows and axilla
should lead to suspicion of thallium poisoning.
• Mees lines may be seen.
• Liver seems opaque under X-ray vision.
• A brownish black pigmentation close to hair root
is a characteristics of thallium poisoning.
• Hair microscopy: dark pigment at the roots.
• Hypocalcaemia

8.  Used & Medico legal aspects
• Use in the manufacture of electronics, low temperature thermometers, optical lenses, and
imitation precious jewels. It also has use in some chemical reactions and medical
procedures.
• Thallium was used historically as a rodenticide but has since been banned in the united
states due to its toxicity from accidental exposure.
• Poisoning is rare
• It was used as ideal homicide in some European countries and Australia where it was used
as a rodenticide.
• Accidental intoxication may occur from its use as an abortifacient or accidental ingestion of
rodenticide.
• Chronic poisoning occur from industries.

9.  Collection and preservation
• The specimens of choice are urine and
whole blood.
• Urine : 100ml ; add 1% acetic acid to
reduce the pH to 4
• Blood: 10 ml ; tube containing suitable
anti coagulant.
• All containers should be free of
exogenous contamination. If there is any
doubt, rinsing with 1 mmol nitric acid
followed by distilled water to remove
traces of the acid.
• Sample should be stored in refrigerator
or in a freezer at -20°C
• The precaution to be taken is to ensure
that no breakage and/or leakage occurs
during transport.
• When transport is going to take a few
days, cold transport should be
considered

10.  Tests for thallium
3. suspected solution + CdSO4 + bromine + rhodamine
B = precipitation of thallium sulfide.
1. suspected solution + Potassium iodide solution
(83 g/l of water) = yellow ppts of thallium iodide.
2. Suspected solution + Bismuth nitrate (0.4%) +
sodium iodide + sodium thiosulfate solution = brown
ppt of thallium bismuth iodide 1 2

11. 4. Flame test:
• Thallium salt also impart an intense green coloration
to a Bunsen flame.
5. Advanced confirmatory tests:
• Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). λmax 527nm
• TLC
• NMR
• Mass spectroscopy
• GCMS etc.

12.  Case study
• A Delhi-based builder has been arrested after he allegedly used thallium poison to kill his in-
laws in west Delhi's inderpuri area.
• The builder, identified as Varun Arora, was arrested by the police on Wednesday. He used to stay
in Delhi's greater Kailash area.
• According to deputy commissioner of police (DCP) west Urvija Goel, thallium poison has been
used in the past to eliminate political rivals because of its slow effect.
• "Varun did google search about slow poison and then he got an idea about thallium," Goel said.
• She further said that the incident took place on January 31.
• "Varun had made fish for dinner and had mixed thallium, a slow poison. He himself didn't eat
fish citing a jaw pain because of enough laughter that he had after watching a comedy show. The
kids in the family had milk, hence, they also didn't eat the fish prepared by him," Goel
highlighted.

13. • However, his wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-
law and domestic help ate the fish.
• "On February 3, Varun's sister-in-law, Priyanka Sharma, fell
sick and later died. Varun's wife, Divya, also fell sick after
the death of his sister-in-law and mother-in-law, too, got ill
in March.
• His wife is in a coma while her mother-in-law, Anita
Sharma, died on March 22. During the MLC at Sri
Gangaram Hospital, it emerged that there was a presence of
Thallium in the body. While Varun's father-in-law was not
admitted yet he did complain of sudden hair fall," Goel said.
• During the investigation, the role of Varun emerged and
hence he was arrested yesterday, police said.
The three victims, Anita Sharma,
Divya Arora and Priyanka Sharma.
Varun Arora

14. • Arun, during interrogation, told police that he and Divya got married 12 years ago.
According to Varun, his in-laws allegedly used to taunt him for not having a baby.
Four years ago, after failing to conceive naturally, Varun and his wife went for in-vitro
fertilization (IVF) process and had twins. Last year, Varun's wife conceived naturally
but she underwent an abortion after doctors said her pregnancy could be life-
threatening.
• According to Varun's father-in-law, Devendra Sharma, Varun was angry with the
abortion. When police reached the hospital to arrest Varun, he claimed that even he
had eaten thallium. After the checkup, Varun got arrested.
• Varun's wife, Divya, is comatose for the last 22 days. It was Divya who was first tested
and later everyone also got tested for Thallium.
• "On January 31, my son-in-law cooked fish for us which my wife, two daughters and I
ate. On February 15, my younger daughter passed away. My elder daughter is in a
coma for 22 days after Thallium was found in her body, it has also been found in my
body," DM Sharma, father-in-law of accused Varun Arora said.
• The police are now trying to identify the place from where accused Varun procured
thallium.

15. THANK YOU…