Dimeric pyrimidines (dimeric uracils, dimeric thymines, dimeric uridines) could be detected in complex mixtures of irradiation products by gas chromatography after methylation or silylation.

The insecticide propoxur (2-isopropoxyphenyl-N-methylcarbamate) acts by blocking cholinesterase. This inhibition is fast and, unlike that brought about by organophosphorus compounds, reversible. The toxicity of propoxur to man is stated to be low compared with that of parathion. Only a small number of fatal intoxications have been published; at the Würzburg University Institute of Legal Medicine eight cases have been observed since 1978. In seven cases death occurred after deliberate oral ingestion of solutions of propoxur with suicidal intent, while in the other, intoxication was accidental, following inhalation of an aerosol containing propoxur. Organs and body fluids were investigated toxicologically and histologically. The results are presented and discussed. Special attention is paid to the combination of propoxur and alcohol.

A simple, easy to do, and precise method in the determination of ethylene glycol in biological material is presented. After oxidation of ethylene glycol with sodiummetaperjodate is the resulting formaldehyde with sodium-borhydride to methanol reduced. The stoechiometric amount of resulting methanol is determined by Head-Space-Gaschromatography. The determination is made with peakheight method.