Skip to Content
Merck

ARDS after accidental inhalation of zinc chloride smoke.

Intensive care medicine (1988-01-01)
E Hjortsø, J Qvist, M I Bud, J L Thomsen, J B Andersen, F Wiberg-Jørgensen, N K Jensen, R Jones, L M Reid, W M Zapol
ABSTRACT

Five soldiers were injured by inhalation of hexite smoke (ZnCl2) during military training. Two soldiers, not wearing gas masks breathed hexite for 1 or 2 min, they slowly developed severe adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) over the ensuing 2 weeks. This slow, progressive clinical course has not been previously described. In both patients, an increased plasma zinc concentration was measured 3 weeks after the incident. Intravenous and nebulized acetylcysteine increased the urinary excretion of zinc, and briefly decreased the plasma levels. In an attempt to arrest collagen deposition in the lungs, L-3,4 dehydroproline was administered. Both patients died of severe respiratory failure (25 and 32 days after inhalation). At autopsy diffuse microvascular obliteration, widespread occlusion of the pulmonary arteries and extensive interstitial and intra-alveolar fibrosis was observed. Three soldiers wearing ill fitting gas masks, immediately developed severe coughing and dyspnea. They improved, and 12 months after exposure their lung function tests were nearly normal, but they still had slight dyspnea on exercise.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, SAJ first grade, ≥95.0%
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride solution, 1.9 M in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, JIS special grade, ≥98.0%
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, 99.999% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, AnhydroBeads, amorphous, −10 mesh, 99.99% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, AnhydroBeads, amorphous, −10 mesh, 99.999% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, anhydrous, powder, ≥99.995% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride 0.1 M solution
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, BioReagent, for molecular biology, suitable for cell culture, suitable for insect cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride solution, 0.5 M in THF
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. ISO, reag. Ph. Eur., ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, anhydrous, free-flowing, Redi-Dri, ACS reagent, ≥97%
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, ACS reagent, ≥97%
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, puriss., meets analytical specification of Ph. Eur., BP, USP, 98-100.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride solution, 1.0 M in diethyl ether
Sigma-Aldrich
Zinc chloride, reagent grade, ≥98%