Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine if a relationship between microbial neoformation of volatiles and the post-mortem interval (PMI) exists, and if the volatiles could be used as a tool to improve the precision of PMI estimation in decomposed human remains found in an indoor setting. Chromatograms from alcohol analysis (femoral vein blood) of 412 cases were retrospectively assessed for the presence of ethanol, N-propanol, 1-butanol, and acetaldehyde. The most common finding was acetaldehyde (83% of the cases), followed by ethanol (37%), N-propanol (21%), and 1-butanol (4%). A direct link between the volatiles and the PMI or the degree of decomposition was not observed. However, the decomposition had progressed faster in cases with microbial neoformation than in cases without signs of neoformation. Microbial neoformation may therefore act as an indicator of the decomposition rate within the early decomposition to bloating stages. This may be used in PMI estimation based on the total body score (TBS) and accumulated degree days (ADD) model, to potentially improve the model’s precision.
Highlights
A deeper understanding of the decomposition process is important for several reasons, including estimating time of death or the post-mortem interval (PMI) and interpreting injuries, pathological changes, and toxicological results
The chromatograms from the alcohol analyses of 412 forensic autopsy cases were retrospectively evaluated for ethanol, N-propanol, 1-butanol, and acetaldehyde
We demonstrate a novel way of possibly modifying the total body score (TBS)/ accumulated degree days (ADD) model for PMI estimation, based on the presence of microbial neoformation
Summary
A deeper understanding of the decomposition process is important for several reasons, including estimating time of death or the post-mortem interval (PMI) and interpreting injuries, pathological changes, and toxicological results. The decomposition process is divided into two major chemical processes: autolysis (mediated by internal enzymes and chemicals) and putrefaction (mediated by bacteria). Putrefaction is fermentation in which microorganisms use organic compounds. Ethanol is a well-known product of fermentation, other volatiles are produced post-mortem, such as acetaldehyde, acetone, 1-butanol, N-propanol, and isopropanol [2, 3]. The alcohols produced during decomposition depend on the microorganisms present and the substrates available [2]. Ethanol can be used as a carbon or energy source by a variety of microorganisms [2, 4]. The origin of ethanol in a post-mortem blood sample may be difficult to interpret, especially in decomposed human remains and without knowledge of whether or not ante-mortem intake of ethanol occurred [5]
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