ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 October 1985
Page Count: 4

Effect of Sodium Fluoride on Cholinesterase Activity in Postmortem Blood
Baselt, RC
Director, Chemical Toxicology Institute, CA

Shaw, RF
Chief toxicologist and assistant toxicologist, Office of the Coroner, CA

McEvilly, R
Chief toxicologist and assistant toxicologist, Office of the Coroner, CA

(Received 21 December 1984; accepted 29 January 1985)

Abstract

Thirty-two postmortem blood specimens, with and without sodium fluoride as preservative, were analyzed for cholinesterase activity by the Michel method. The fluoridated specimens, which contained from 0.7 to 31 mg/mL (average 6.3) of sodium fluoride, were found to exhibit cholinesterase activities that were 5 to 59% (average 25%) lower than the duplicate unfluoridated specimens. We concluded that, while this decrease is quite significant, a fluoridated post-mortem blood specimen may be used for the measurement of cholinesterase activity when a non-fluoridated specimen is unavailable.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, toxicology, cholinesterase, blood, sodium fluoride, pesticides

Paper ID: JFS11061J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11061J
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