Median Lethal Dose (Ld50) Of Electric Current

Abstract

Electrical related deaths are more frequent among school age children as a result of high voltage and lightning strike [1]. Lightening, a transfer of an electrical charge, which results in discharge of static electricity, kills about 1000 people in the US every year [2]. Lightening causes muscular spasm, neurosis, thrombosis, damage of blood vessels, unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, hypoxia, respiratory arrest and death [3]. The types of lightning strikes are intracloud, cloud to ground and ground to cloud [4]. The most important resistor to the flow of current from lightening electricity is skin [5]. Estimated are 50,000 thunderstorms, 8 million lightning flashes [6], with mortality rate of 30% [7] and survival rate of 70% [8], affecting more people of less than 40years of age [9]. The effect depends on the intensity of current, voltage, body exposure among others [10]. A voltage of 30V can cause ventricular fibrillation. Electric shock is a sudden violent response to electric current, which may lead to death (electrocution). Let go phenomenon for high voltage (7600V) could be tolerated for 100 milliseconds or less [11]. Lightning has been considered by some ethnic groups as myth, miracle and mirage [12], which is cruelty to animals, and may be caused by witches [13]. In view of traditional beliefs and toxicity effects associated with lightning and electric current, there is need for acute toxicity study of electric current, with a view to determining the resistance threshold of lightning and electric current in humans and animals.