| Title: | Time-dependent VOC-profile of decomposed human and animal remains in laboratory environment |
| Author(s): | Rosier E; Loix S; Develter W; Van de Voorde W; Tytgat J; Cuypers E; |
| Address: | "Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N2, PO Box 922, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Imaging & Pathology Department, Division Forensic Biomedical Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Sint-Rafael, Kapucijnenvoer 33, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N2, PO Box 922, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: eva.cuypers@pharm.kuleuven.be" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.05.035 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1872-6283 (Electronic) 0379-0738 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "A validated method using a thermal desorber combined with a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer was used to identify the volatile organic compounds released in decomposed human and animal remains after 9 and 12 months in glass jars in a laboratory environment. This is a follow-up study on a previous report where the first 6 months of decomposition of 6 human and 26 animal remains was investigated. In the first report, out of 452 identified compounds, a combination of 8 compounds was proposed as human and pig specific. The goal of the current study was to investigate if these 8 compounds were still released after 9 and 12 months. The next results were noticed: 287 compounds were identified; only 9 new compounds were detected and 173 were no longer seen. Sulfur-containing compounds were less prevalent as compared to the first month of decomposition. The appearance of nitrogen-containing compounds and alcohols was increasingly evident during the first 6 months, and the same trend was seen in the following 6 months. Esters became less important after 6 months. From the proposed human and pig specific compounds, diethyl disulfide was only detected during the first months of decomposition. Interestingly, the 4 proposed human and pig specific esters, as well as pyridine, 3-methylthio-1-propanol and methyl(methylthio)ethyl disulfide were still present after 9 and 12 months of decomposition. This means that these 7 human and pig specific markers can be used in the development of training aids for cadaver dogs during the whole decomposition process. Diethyl disulfide can be used in training aids for the first month of decomposition" |
| Keywords: | Animals Body Remains/*chemistry/metabolism Environment Follow-Up Studies Forensic Sciences Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Humans Species Specificity Swine Time Factors Volatile Organic Compounds/*analysis Decomposition Human specific marker Td-gc/ms; |
| Notes: | "MedlineRosier, E Loix, S Develter, W Van de Voorde, W Tytgat, J Cuypers, E eng Ireland 2016/06/11 Forensic Sci Int. 2016 Sep; 266:164-169. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.05.035. Epub 2016 Jun 2" |
