Assessing the Capacity of Various Substances to Act as Neutralizing Treatment in Organophosphoric Acute Intoxications

Neutralization represents an important goal in toxicology, reducing exposure to poison being crucial in any management plan of any intoxication. Controversial data actually exists in the literature regarding activated charcoal capacity to bind organophosphates. To determine and compare organophosphate binding capabilities for different hydrophobic substances, considered to have neutralising properties. 14 hydrophobic substances (Dextrane, medicinal charcoal, activated charcoal, Eucarbon, Lysozyme, activated fluorisyl, β ciclodextrine, N vinyl polybenzymidasol, plasma –dextran, Silica gel, Celytte, aluminium monoxide, Sephadex G, C18) were tested regarding their ability to bind Triclorfon an organophosphate widely used by general population. After four hours of direct interaction between neutralizer and Triclorfon the suspension was filtered and the unbind organophosphate quantitatively evaluated through gas chromatography. Activated charcoal was proved to bind Triclorfon but in a low efficiency manner. The necessary quantity is almost diminished to half if medicinal charcoal is used. The most powerful binding effect was retrieved for C18. Many of the analysed substances (Dextrane, Eucarbon, Lysozyme, activated fluorisyl, β ciclodextrine, N vinyl polybenzymidasol, plasma –dextran, Silica gel, Celytte, aluminium monoxide, Sephadex G) were proved to have no binding effect to Triclorfon. Activated and medicinal charcoal has proved such a capability, but the maximum efficiency was obtained for C18, a siliceous powder used in gas chromatography as absorbent material. In the acute intoxication with organophosphate substances activated charcoal could be substituted by medicinal charcoal due to its superior efficiency and availability.