ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Friday, September 20th 2013 [ME NewsWire]
Abu Dhabi Police warned citizens and residents against using unauthorized pesticides to fight household pests. Such pesticides, particularly the type brought into the country by members of the Asian communities, have caused a number of deaths, as well as cases of pulmonary edema and convulsions, as a result of inhaling the highly toxic phosphine gas.
Colonel Expert Anwar Mahmoud Al Awadi, Head of the Chemical Analysis Section at the Forensic Evidence Department, indicated that the illegal pesticides used to fight insects and rodents do not serve the abovementioned purpose. They have different commercial names, and are easily purchased from veterinary and agricultural shops. Moreover, some expatriates, particularly Asians, have made a habit out of buying these products from their home countries, when they return to the UAE from their work leave.
Al Awadi highlighted the risks associated with the random use of such unlicensed pesticides; noting that both the aluminum Phosphide and magnesium Phosphide, which are mixed with additional materials to regulate the gas fumes process, are highly toxic to humans, and no antidote exists to counter the toxicity effects.
He added that several deaths have occurred as a result of accidental poisoning with the Phosphine gas release by the pesticides. In 2011, the Abu Dhabi Police reported a total of 20 poisoning cases in 10 months, which caused 5 deaths due to the use of unlicensed pesticides. The Food Control Department in Dubai Municipalities received notification from the Health Authority in May 2012, stating that 10 individuals living under one roof have been suffering from severe vomiting, probably due to food poisoning. Al Awadi also stressed that thorough analysis have revealed that numerous deaths incidents that were diagnosed at the onset as being caused by food poisoning, were in fact caused by accidental inhaling the toxic Phosphine gas. He cited the case the child who died in 2012, while her sister suffered severe poisoning, as pesticides’ poisoning symptoms are often mistaken for food poisoning.
“The Toxins and Drugs lab at the Forensic Evidence Department handled this year, on behalf of the Fujairah Police GHQ, a suspected pesticide poisoning case involving three beauty salon employees, out of whom one died and her two colleagues fell sick. The laboratory compared blood and stomach wash samples, with a pesticide bottle found in the apartment, and could not establish any relation with the poisoning. All symptoms indicated in the report show that the 3 women were exposed to the toxic Phosphine gas,” Al Awadi added. Furthermore, he noted that the apartment was processed again, in collaboration with the investigation officers and the Crime Scene Department. Forensic experts discovered a grey powder residue, that tested positive for metals phosphines, found in pesticides.
For his part, Poisons and Drugs Expert Omar Moussa Zaarab revealed that metal phosphines react with water or moisture in the air, to release the toxic Phosphine gas. “A high concentration of more than 2000/million part of phosphine in the air is lethal to humans. Phosphine has been reported to have a strong odor resembling carbide or garlic. “Poisoning can result from direct ingestion in suicide cases, or from the accidental inhalation of the fumes. The inhalation of phosphine gas causes diarrhoea, pulmonary edema, cold and clammy sweats; tremors; convulsions; delirium; coma and death from respiratory and cardiac arrest,” he continued. .
A range of chemical tests and analytical methods may be used for the analysis of sample/s in case of phosphide poisoning in laboratories, namely; the use of silver nitrate impregnated paper test on the gastric fluid of patients in cases of aluminium phosphide poisoning. It is a simple, reliable and sensitive method to detect phosphine. A combination of ammonium molybdate reagent and commercially available detector tubes can be used as qualitative and quantitative procedures for stomach contents and non-biological materials. Another simple, and highly sensitive method to detect phosphine, is the use of an indicator paper strip impregnated with chemical solution. The appearance of red color on the strip indicates the presence of phosphine. Gas Chromatography (GC) is also one of the most widely used techniques for the analysis of phosphine gas technique with Nitrogen–Phosphorus detector (NDP).
Concluding, Expert Zaarab stressed the need to criminalize metal phosphines use in homes. He advised community members to evacuate the building for at least 24 hours in case of using such material. He also called for reviewing the central air conditioning systems design to prevent potential spreading of gases or harmful volatile materials to neighboring apartments. He finally underscored the need to be cautious when transporting a patient showing one or more of the abovementioned symptoms, taking into account that he may be suffering from phosphine gas poisoning, which can be determined b one the previously indicated tests.
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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.
Photo Caption:
Colonel Anwar Al Awadi
Expert Omar Zaarab
Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com
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