Fatality Caused by Hydrogen Sulfide Produced from an Accidental Transfer ofSodium Hydrogen Sulfide into a Tank Containing Dilute Sulfuric Acid

摘要

The National Transportation Safety Board has an agreement with the FederalAviation Administration (FAA) that the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) provide toxicological services for selected surface transportation accidents. Under this agreement, postmortem biosamples from a hazardous chemical accident fatality were submitted to CAMI for toxicological evaluation. The victim succumbed from breathing the hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) gas produced by an accidental transfer of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) from a tanker truck to a tank containing 4% sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) and iron(II) sulfate (FeSO 4 ). After inhaling the gas, the 55-year old male Caucasian truck driver was dead at the scene. Autopsy examination of the decedent's body was performed.