COMMON HOUSEHOLD POISONS

1. COMMON HOUSEHOLD POISONS Ms Achala Vithanage Research Officer National Poisons and Drug Information Centre

2. TOXIC SUBSTANCES • Any chemical / mixture that may be harmful to the environment and to human health if inhaled swallowed or absorbed through skin. • These toxic substance contained in everyday household products. • Poisoning due to household substances is usually mild.

3. TOXIC SUBSTANCES • Prompt recognition & early treatment is important. • Implementation of preventive measures is essential. • Drugs and household cleaners are the most reported cases of poisoning. • Easy availability of household product makes them one of the leading causes of poisoning.

4. POISONING DUE TO NON MEDICINAL AGENTS 2000-2006 • Poisoning due to household products is a common hospital admission. Annually there are about 15,000-19,000 admissions and more than 270 deaths in state hospitals.

5. POISONING DUE TO NONMEDICINAL AGENTS

6. VICTIMS • Usually under the age of five, majority were toddlers between the age of 1-3 years. • These incidence are preventable emergencies. • NPIC (Sri Lanka) 20 years experience: • Age distribution showed that 20% of enquiries were for children less than 5 years. • Utilization of the services of NPIC shows that accidental poisoning in children is a major concern.

7. Acute childhood poisoning(Sri Lankan experience – Study period June 1984-1997)

8. Commonly used harmful household products • Cleaners: • Used to remove dirt mostly contains fragrance, surfactants & pesticides. • Surfactants remove dirt & pesticides kill germ like bacteria and viruses. • Glass cleaners – Ammonia, Isopropanol • Dish washers – Cationic, anionic or nonionic detergents • Oven cleaners – Lye (Na/K hydroxide) • All purpose cleaners – Ethylene glycol, Na hyperchlorite

9. Commonly used harmful household products • Rust removers: • Mold and rust are kind of funguses. • Pesticide chemicals found in these products are chlorine, alkyl ammonium chloride. • Very caustic and corrosive.

10. Commonly used harmful household products • Bleaches/Disinfactants: • Used to kill germs • Depending on the specific product usually do not cause serious harm if a small amount is swallowed. • Average amount may cause serious poisoning and even death. • Germicide chemical-acids, alkalis, pine oil, phenol, chlorophenol etc.

11. Commonly used harmful household products • Combination disinfectants are more toxic. • E.g.: Pine oil + Phenol

12. Commonly used harmful household products • Petroleum products are hydrocarbons: • Commonly used household hydrocarbons are: kerosene, petrol, thinner – fatal poisoning is rare always cause lung damage. Turpentine – Pines and camphines Break fluid, car coolant, antifreezer ethylene glycol, highly toxic – damage to heart, kidney & brain can cause death.

13. Commonly used harmful household products • Paints/Polishes • Paints: Water base - mostly used for indoors. Main solvent is water Oil base – mineral spirit and other petroleum distillate. Used for out doors. • Polishes: Furniture polishes & metal cleaners – petroleum distillate.

14. Commonly used harmful household products • Laundry detergents: Used to clean stains and loosen dirt from the household laundry. • These are responsible for many household poisoning by intentional and accidental swallowing. • Contains cleaning agents with cationic, anionic or nonionic detergents. E.g.Prinso

15. Commonly used harmful household products • Prinso: • Prinso is an emerging fatal self poisoning in Sri Lanka (E.g. Southern Sri Lanka) • 1.2g KMNO4 + 12.5g Oxalic Acid

16. Commonly used harmful household products • Batteries: 1. Dry cell – Carbon + Heavy metal 2. Wet cell – used for vehicles, lead and battery acid(H2SO4) 3. Button/Disk battery single cell batteries used as an energy source for digital watches, calculators, cameras etc.

17. Commonly used harmful household products Button & Disk Batteries: 4.Contains heavy metals and potassium oxide solution. 5. If swallowed – majority no symptoms passed intact with faeces. 6. If impacted in oesophagus – fever, dysphasia, vomiting and anorexia. • Tissue damage cause by flow of electric current, potentially fatal.

18. Thank you