Differentiation between decomposed remains of human origin and bigger mammals

E Rosier, S Loix, W Develter, W Van de Voorde, E Cuypers, J Tytgat*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

This study is a follow-up study in the search for a human specific marker in the decomposition where the VOC-profile of decomposing human, pig, lamb and roe remains were analyzed using a thermal desorber combined with a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer in a laboratory environment during 6 months. The combination of 8 previously identified human and pig specific compounds (ethyl propionate, propyl propionate, propyl butyrate, ethyl pentanoate, 3-methylthio-1-propanol, methyl(methylthio)ethyl disulfide, diethyl disulfide and pyridine) was also seen in these analyzed mammals. However, combined with 5 additional compounds (hexane, heptane, octane, N-(3-methylbutyl)- and N-(2-methylpropyl)acetamide) human remains could be separated from pig, lamb and roe remains. Based on a higher number of remains analyzed, as compared with the pilot study, it was no longer possible to rely on the 5 previously proposed esters to separate pig from human remains. From this follow-up study reported, it was found that pyridine is an interesting compound specific to human remains. Such a human specific marker can help in the training of cadaver dogs or in the development of devices to search for human remains. However, further investigations have to verify these results.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)28-35
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume50
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers/analysis
  • Body Remains
  • Deer
  • Forensic Pathology
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Sheep
  • Species Specificity
  • Swine
  • Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis

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