Article (Scientific journals)
Postmortem Internal Gas Reservoir Monitoring Using GCxGC-HRTOFMS
Stefanuto, Pierre-Hugues; Perrault, Katelynn; Grabher, Silke et al.
2016In Separations, 3 (24)
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Keywords :
Human decomposition; Forensic Chemistry; GCxGC-HRTOF-MS; volatile organic compounds; multivariate statistics
Abstract :
[en] Forensic investigations often require postmortem examination of a body. However, the collection of evidence during autopsy is often destructive, meaning that the body can no longer be examined in its original state. In order to obtain an internal image of the body, whole body postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) has proven to be a valuable non-destructive tool and is currently used in medicolegal centers. PMCT can also be used to visually locate gas reservoirs inside a cadaver, which upon analysis can provide useful information regarding very volatile compounds that are produced after death. However, the non-targeted profiling of all potential volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in these reservoirs has never been attempted. The aim of this study was to investigate the VOC profile of these reservoirs and to evaluate potential uses of such information to document circumstances surrounding death, cause of death and body taphonomy. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC GC-HRTOF-MS) was used for VOC measurements. This study demonstrated that the chemical composition of VOCs within the gas reservoirs differed between locations within a single body but also between individuals. In the future, this work could be expanded to investigate a novel, non-destructive cadaver screening approach prior to full autopsy procedures.
Disciplines :
Chemistry
Author, co-author :
Stefanuto, Pierre-Hugues  ;  Université de Liège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Chimie analytique, organique et biologique
Perrault, Katelynn ;  Université de Liège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Chimie analytique, organique et biologique
Grabher, Silke;  University Center of Legal Medicine > Forensic Anthropology and Imaging Unit
Varlet, Vincent;  University Center of Legal Medicine > Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit
Focant, Jean-François  ;  Université de Liège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Chimie analytique, organique et biologique
Language :
English
Title :
Postmortem Internal Gas Reservoir Monitoring Using GCxGC-HRTOFMS
Publication date :
August 2016
Journal title :
Separations
eISSN :
2297-8739
Publisher :
MDPI
Volume :
3
Issue :
24
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 01 September 2016

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