Context: Recently, a 24-year-old woman was awarded a death sentence by a Thiruvananthapuram court which found her guilty of poisoning her boyfriend with a chemical herbicide called paraquat.
About Paraquate
- Paraquat, also known as paraquat dichloride or methyl viologen, is one of the world’s most widely used herbicides.
- Primary Use: It is used to control weeds and desiccate crops like cotton before harvest.
- Hazard Classification: The WHO classifies paraquat as a Category 2 (moderately hazardous and irritating) chemical.
- Global Ban: Paraquat is banned in over 70 countries, including China and the European Union, due to its high toxicity.
Routes of Exposure
- Ingestion: Accidental swallowing.
- Skin Contact: Prolonged skin contact.
- Inhalation
Treatment for Paraquat Poisoning
- There are no known specific antidotes for paraquat poisoning.
- Immediate Actions: The CDC recommends swallowing activated charcoal or Fuller’s earth (multani mitti) to absorb the chemical.
- Immunosuppression or charcoal haemoperfusion – potential hospital treatment
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