Abstract

RODRIGUEZ PADILLA, Carolina. Aluminum phosphide poisoning. Med. leg. Costa Rica [online]. 2022, vol.39, n.1, pp.20-31. ISSN 2215-5287.

The agricultural industry has implemented the use of pesticides, which has increased the quantity and quality of agricultural products in several developing countries, its objective is to improve the quality of life and livelihood of consumers, however, improper use can cause serious intoxications both by accidental ingestion, occupational or ingestion for suicidal or homicidal purposes, which makes them an issue of medico-legal relevance. Aluminum phosphide is a rodenticide, insecticide and solid fumigant used as an ideal substance for the preservation of grains, since it is highly toxic against insects that invade the grains in all their stages without affecting the seeds and their germination, it is an accessible and economic compound which makes its use for suicidal and homicidal purposes high, In the face of aluminum phosphide poisoning, quite unspecific symptoms have been described, such as pain in the epigastrium, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, dyspnea and in some cases accompanied by a garlic odor which is characteristic of this poisoning, which increases clinical suspicion. A bibliographic review was conducted in different databases, of the articles published on the subject in the last twelve years, with the aim of deepening in the characteristics of aluminum phosphide, its mechanism of action and toxicity. It is concluded that it is essential to know the different pesticides and their effects on health, those with a high lethality, which could be used clandestinely and which, being extremely cheap, are easily accessible to be used for criminal purposes

Keywords : Poisoning; aluminum phosphide; rodenticide; insecticide; and fumigant..

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