Rising Cases of Thallium Poisoning: A Silent and Deadly Murder Weapon

Context:

• The cases of Poisoning by thallium as a murder weapon is increasing in India. 

Tragic Incident in Maharashtra: Two Women Accused of Poisoning Five Family Members with Thallium

• Recently, In Mahagaon village (Maharashtra) two women allegedly killed five family members by lacing their food with Thallium.

Overview of Thallium: Properties, Applications, and its Dark History in Poisoning Cases

• Thallium is a chemical element with the symbol Tl and atomic number 81. It is a soft, heavy, inelastic, gray post-transition metal that is not found free in nature. 
• Characteristics: Thallium is tasteless and odourless and has been used by murder as it is difficult to detect.
• Application: It is used in the manufacture of electronics, low temperature thermometers, Optical lenses, and imitation precious jewels it also has use in some chemical reactions and medical procedures.

Thallium Poisoning: Routes of Exposure and Normal Body Levels

• Ingestion (through food or drink) is an important route of exposure. 
• It can also be absorbed into the body by inhalation and skin contact.
• The normal range of thallium in the body is between 0.15 to 0.36 units.

Effects of Thallium Poisoning: Symptoms and Timeline

• Adverse effects are usually delayed by 12 to 24 hours in acute poisoning and reach their maximum by the second and third week after exposure (slow Poisoning cases).
• Hair loss is a classic symptom of thallium poisoning.
• Transient nausea and vomiting are seen first, followed by painful sensation in the arms/hands and legs/feet within 1 to 5 days(sometimes more)
• Other Effects include rapid heart rate and high blood pressure; abnormal heart rythms; respiratory failures; headache; seizures, delirium, and coma

Thallium Poisoning Treatment: Prussian Blue and Other Approaches

• Prussian blue is a pill that can help remove radioactive cesium and thallium from people’s bodies.
• It  traps radioactive cesium and thallium in the intestines and keeps them from being reabsorbed by the body.

• It reduces the time that radioactive cesium and thallium stay in the body, it helps limit the amount of time the body is exposed to radiation.
• Other Treatments: Hemodialysis and hemoperfusion are also used to remove thallium from the bloodstream. 
• At a later stage of the treatment additional potassium is used to mobilize thallium from the tissue.

Source: The Hindu

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