Dimethyl sulphate

Direct observations: clinical cases, poisoning incidents and other

Administrative data

Endpoint:

direct observations: clinical cases, poisoning incidents and other

Type of information:

other: case report

Adequacy of study:

supporting study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Well documented german case report, no data on purity and concentration of test item

Data source

Reference

Reference 1

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Zur Toxikologie des Dimethylsulfats

Author:

Rossmann H

Year:

1952

Bibliographic source:

Zbl. Arbeitsmed. Arbeitsschutz 2, 72-75

Reference 2

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Recommendation from the Scientific Commitee on Occupational Exposure Limits for dimethyl sulphate

Author:

SCOEL

Year:

2004

Bibliographic source:

SCOEL/SUM/111 November 2004

Materials and methods

Study type:

other: accidental exposure

Endpoint addressed:

acute toxicity: inhalation

Test guideline

Qualifier:

no guideline available

GLP compliance:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Dimethyl sulphate

EC Number:

201-058-1

EC Name:

Dimethyl sulphate

Cas Number:

77-78-1

Molecular formula:

C2H6O4S

IUPAC Name:

dimethyl sulfate

Method

Type of population:

occupational

Subjects:

- Number of subjects exposed: 2
- Sex: male
- Age: 40 years old

Ethical approval:

not applicable

Route of exposure:

inhalation

Reason of exposure:

accidental

Exposure assessment:

estimated

Details on exposure:

Accidental exposure to DMS of two male employees during cleaning and repairing of DMS filling station without wearing respiratory mask.
Temperature: 4 °C
Exposure duration: 3 hours

Examinations:

Necropsy after fatal death of one employee

Medical treatment:

Yes. Strophanthin was administered to support the employee's heart.

Results and discussion

Clinical signs:

First employee:
Irritation of mucous membrane of the respiratory tract development of lung oedema.
Death after 3 days

Second employee:
cough, irritation of mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, conjunctivitis and ceratitis.
Employee survived.

Results of examinations:

First employee:
Gross pathology: oedema in brain, corrosion of pharynx, larynx and trachea
Histopathology: verified oedema in brain and lung

Effectivity of medical treatment:

not effective: one patient died 3 days after accidental exposure

Outcome of incidence:

no data

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

DMS is acute toxic.

Executive summary:

One of two men died after exposure to DMS-vapour for three hours at 4°C without protective clothing (Rossmann 1952). In the person that died, symptoms of intoxication appeared after several hours and consisted of irritation of the upper-respiratory tract and fever. In the hospital he developed irritation of the conjunctivae and glottis oedema. He finally died after 3 days. Autopsy revealed oedema of the lung and brain. Histopathological examination confirmed the pulmonary oedema and showed corrosion of the respiratory tract. The other person reported nasal secretion, dyspnoea, and conjunctivitis of both eyes. The second day of hospitalisation, he also developed fever, after which his general condition improved and with only minor lung problems he was released from hospital on day eight.