Earticle

초록

영어

Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon widely employed as an industrial solvent in adhesives and paints. Due to its broad availability and low cost, it ranks among the most frequently abused volatile substances worldwide. With repeated inhalation, toluene affects the central nervous system, inducing euphoria, intoxication, and hallucination, while its high lipophilicity facilitates penetration of the blood–brain barrier and accumulation in lipid-rich tissues. Given these properties, high-dose inhalation of toluene may lead to direct fatal intoxication, as well as indirect fatalities arising from accidents associated with hallucinatory impairment. In most toluene-related deaths, toxicological interpretation typically relies on scene investigation, the presence of paraphernalia, and reported blood concentrations of toluene. However, in indirect fatalities, interpretation based solely on blood toluene concentrations remains controversial due to ongoing biological processes. In this study, we investigated a fatal case involving a 56-year-old male with a history of toluene abuse. Postmortem specimens, including heart blood, peripheral blood, urine, lung and brain tissue, were analyzed for toluene using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) with a standard addition method. Toxicological analysis revealed a markedly elevated concentration of toluene in brain tissue (10.04 mg/kg). Heart and peripheral blood contained 1.94 mg/L and 1.27 mg/L of toluene, respectively. Urine and lung tissue exhibited a relatively low concentrations of 0.14 mg/L and 1.89 mg/kg, respectively. This case analysis, based on an understanding of the distributional characteristics and toxicological mechanisms of toluene, suggests the forensic interpretability of volatile hallucinogenic substances as potential indirect causes of death and is expected to contribute to toxicological assessments in future similar cases.

목차

Abstract
Ⅰ. 서론
Ⅱ. 재료 및 방법
1. 사례 개요
2. 시약 및 표준용액
3. 기기 및 분석 조건
4. 시료 전처리 및 검량선 작성
Ⅲ. 결과 및 고찰
Ⅳ. 결론
Ⅴ. 사사
Ⅵ. 참고문헌

키워드

저자

• 정수진 [ Sujin Jeong | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ] Corresponding Author
• 이나현 [ Nahyun Lee | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]
• 강지현 [ Jihyun Kang | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]
• 신일청 [ Ilchung Shin | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]
• 강서진 [ Seojin Kang | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]
• 이수정 [ Sujeong Lee | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]
• 양원경 [ Wonkyung Yang | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]
• 장문희 [ Moonhee Jang | 서울과학수사연구소 독성마약과 감정관 ]

참고문헌

발행기관

간행물

표지보기 관심저널 등록

• 간행물명

  한국법과학회지 [Korean Journal of Forensic Science]

• 간기

  반년간

• pISSN

  1598-0715

• 수록기간

  2000~2026

• 등재여부

  KCI 등재

• 십진분류

  KDC 367 DDC 347