Environmental aspects of VOCs evolved in the early stages of human decomposition

Statheropoulos, M; Agapiou, A; Spiliopoulou, C; Pallis, GC; Sianos, E

dc.contributor.author	Statheropoulos, M	en
dc.contributor.author	Agapiou, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Spiliopoulou, C	en
dc.contributor.author	Pallis, GC	en
dc.contributor.author	Sianos, E	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:26:18Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:26:18Z
dc.date.issued	2007	en
dc.identifier.issn	0048-9697	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/17990
dc.subject	Cadaver	en
dc.subject	Environmental impact	en
dc.subject	Human decay	en
dc.subject	Physicochemical properties	en
dc.subject	VOCs	en
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences	en
dc.subject.other	Chemical signals	en
dc.subject.other	Human decay	en
dc.subject.other	Human decomposition	en
dc.subject.other	Physicochemical properties	en
dc.subject.other	Decay (organic)	en
dc.subject.other	Environmental impact	en
dc.subject.other	Mass spectrometry	en
dc.subject.other	Physical chemistry	en
dc.subject.other	Sampling	en
dc.subject.other	Thermal desorption	en
dc.subject.other	Volatile organic compounds	en
dc.subject.other	2 butanone	en
dc.subject.other	acetone	en
dc.subject.other	alcohol	en
dc.subject.other	alcohol derivative	en
dc.subject.other	aldehyde	en
dc.subject.other	aliphatic hydrocarbon	en
dc.subject.other	ammonia	en
dc.subject.other	aromatic hydrocarbon	en
dc.subject.other	carbon dioxide	en
dc.subject.other	carbon monoxide	en
dc.subject.other	dimethyl sulfide	en
dc.subject.other	dimethyltrisulfide	en
dc.subject.other	hydrogen sulfide	en
dc.subject.other	ketone	en
dc.subject.other	meta xylene	en
dc.subject.other	methyl ethylsulfide	en
dc.subject.other	octane	en
dc.subject.other	ortho xylene	en
dc.subject.other	para xylene	en
dc.subject.other	sulfide	en
dc.subject.other	toluene	en
dc.subject.other	unclassified drug	en
dc.subject.other	volatile organic compound	en
dc.subject.other	aliphatic hydrocarbon	en
dc.subject.other	aromatic hydrocarbon	en
dc.subject.other	carbon dioxide	en
dc.subject.other	carbon monoxide	en
dc.subject.other	chemical cue	en
dc.subject.other	environmental impact	en
dc.subject.other	forensic science	en
dc.subject.other	gas chromatography	en
dc.subject.other	mass spectrometry	en
dc.subject.other	nitrate	en
dc.subject.other	physicochemical property	en
dc.subject.other	thermal decomposition	en
dc.subject.other	volatile organic compound	en
dc.subject.other	article	en
dc.subject.other	bioaccumulation	en
dc.subject.other	cadaver	en
dc.subject.other	decomposition	en
dc.subject.other	desorption	en
dc.subject.other	environmental factor	en
dc.subject.other	environmental impact	en
dc.subject.other	gas chromatography	en
dc.subject.other	human	en
dc.subject.other	human tissue	en
dc.subject.other	mass spectrometry	en
dc.subject.other	physical chemistry	en
dc.subject.other	priority journal	en
dc.subject.other	thermal desorption	en
dc.subject.other	Adult	en
dc.subject.other	Cadaver	en
dc.subject.other	Humans	en
dc.subject.other	Male	en
dc.subject.other	Natural Disasters	en
dc.subject.other	Odors	en
dc.subject.other	Organic Chemicals	en
dc.subject.other	Postmortem Changes	en
dc.subject.other	Rescue Work	en
dc.subject.other	Volatilization	en
dc.title	Environmental aspects of VOCs evolved in the early stages of human decomposition	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.07.003	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.07.003	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2007	en
heal.abstract	In the present study, the time profile, measured as ""accumulation"", of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced during the early stages of human decomposition was investigated. A human cadaver was placed in a sealed bag at approximately the 4th day after death. Evolved VOCs were monitored for 24 h by sampling at different time intervals. VOCs produced were analyzed by thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS). Over 30 substances were identified in total. These included mainly aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, oxygenated compounds (alcohols, aldehydes, ketones) and organic sulfides. The last were the most prominent class of compounds identified. Eleven compounds were present in all the sampling cycles and constitute a ""common core"": ethanol, 2-propanone, dimethyl disulfide, methyl benzene, octane, 2-butanone, methyl ethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide and o-, m- and p-xylenes. The last sampling cycle yielded the most abundant compounds in number and quantities. Inorganic gases such as CO2, CO, NH3 and H2S were also determined. The fundamental physicochemical properties of the evolved VOCs were used for evaluating their environmental impacts. It appears that the decay process, which is a dynamic procedure, can provide chemical signals that might be detected and properly evaluated by experts in the fields of forensic sciences, search and rescue units and environmental scientists. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.	en
heal.publisher	ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV	en
heal.journalName	Science of the Total Environment	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.07.003	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000250355300021	en
dc.identifier.volume	385	en
dc.identifier.issue	1-3	en
dc.identifier.spage	221	en
dc.identifier.epage	227	en