Utility of Silver Nitrate Test for Post-Mortem Diagnosis of Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning

Background: intoxication with aluminum phosphide has been prevalent in iranrecently. lab confirmation of the poisoning is needed in clinical and post-mortemsettings. present study was conducted to determine efficiency and validity of silvernitrate test for detection of aluminum phosphide in samples.methods: information about dead patients with history of aluminum phosphidepoisoning referred for medicolegal autopsy was collected during 18 months. theirrelationships with result of silver nitrate test was assessed statistically.results: 24 patients were studied. silver nitrate test on samples of intraabdominalorgans was positive in 75% of autopsies, while the test on gastriccontent was positive in 50%. relationship between number of ingested tablets andsilver nitrate test was statistically significant (p value=0.017).conclusion: results of present study showed that silver nitrate test can be usedas a preliminary method for evaluation of patients or dead bodies suspected to beintoxicated with alp. however, even negative result of silver nitrate test would notpreclude alp poisoning and more definitive quantitative tests such as hs-gcshould be ordered, if feasible.