Abstract
Background: Unexpected accidental intoxication by uncommon industrial substances is a rare, but challenging and perilous event. To our best knowledge, this is the first reported case of 3,4',5,6'-tetra-tert-butylbiphenyl-2,3'-diol intoxication.
Case report: A 20-year-old man was referred to the Department of Emergency Medicine after seven days of nausea and vomiting triggered by drinking mead. Very high doses of 3,4',5,6'-tetra-tert-butylbiphenyl-2,3'-diol were detected in mead, blood, and urine samples.
To prove the intoxication, gas chromatography - ion trap was performed. Symptoms of intoxication persisted for two weeks without significant organ damage.
The case report illustrates the need for a multistep approach, focused mainly on the analysis of possible sources of intoxication.