This poisoning is from swallowing cationic or anionic detergents. These are powerful cleaning products that may contain strong acids. Cationic detergents are often used as germ-killing cleansers (antiseptics) in hospitals. Anionic detergents are sometimes used to clean carpeting.
Poisonous Ingredient:
Simple soap
Corrosive acids, including benzalkonium chloride
Where Found:
Many different detergents and soaps
Symptoms:
Lungs and airways
Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Severe pain in the throat
Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
Loss of vision
Gastrointestinal
Severe abdominal pain
Vomiting
Burns and possible holes of the esophagus (food pipe)
Vomiting blood
Blood in the stool
Heart and blood
Hypotension (low blood pressure) develops rapidly
Collapse
Skin
Irritation
Burns
Necrosis (holes) in the skin or underlying tissues
Blood
Severe change in acid level of blood (pH balance), which leads to damage in all of the body organs
Review Date: 5/16/2006
Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Poisons
