Biomarkers in patients admitted to the emergency department after exposure to acrylonitrile in a major railway incident involving bulk chemical material.

Background: A railway incident with victims of exposure to the cyanogenic substance acrylonitrile (ACN).

Aims: We retrospectively (i)built an inventory of the clinical characteristics of individuals admitted to surrounding emergency departments (ED's) and (ii)studied the correlation between N-2-cyanoethylvaline (CEV), a biomarker used in a population study for evaluating exposure to ACN, with lactate and thiocyanate (SCN), biomarkers determined during emergency care.

Results: 438 patients from 11 ED's were included and presented with known symptoms of ACN poisoning but also with concern about the risks.