Combined chemical and optical methods for monitoring the early decay stages of surrogate human models

Statheropoulos, M; Agapiou, A; Zorba, E; Mikedi, K; Karma, S; Pallis, GC; Eliopoulos, C; Spiliopoulou, C

dc.contributor.author	Statheropoulos, M	en
dc.contributor.author	Agapiou, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Zorba, E	en
dc.contributor.author	Mikedi, K	en
dc.contributor.author	Karma, S	en
dc.contributor.author	Pallis, GC	en
dc.contributor.author	Eliopoulos, C	en
dc.contributor.author	Spiliopoulou, C	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:35:24Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:35:24Z
dc.date.issued	2011	en
dc.identifier.issn	0379-0738	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/21038
dc.subject	Collapsed buildings	en
dc.subject	Decomposition	en
dc.subject	Putrefaction	en
dc.subject	Swine carcass	en
dc.subject	TD/GC/TOF-MS	en
dc.subject	Thanatochemistry	en
dc.subject	Thermal images	en
dc.subject	Visible images	en
dc.subject	VOCs	en
dc.subject.classification	Medicine, Legal	en
dc.subject.other	alcohol	en
dc.subject.other	aldehyde	en
dc.subject.other	carbon dioxide	en
dc.subject.other	carbon monoxide	en
dc.subject.other	chloride	en
dc.subject.other	ester	en
dc.subject.other	fluoride	en
dc.subject.other	hydrocarbon	en
dc.subject.other	hydrogen sulfide	en
dc.subject.other	ketone	en
dc.subject.other	nitrogen	en
dc.subject.other	oxygen	en
dc.subject.other	sulfur	en
dc.subject.other	sulfur dioxide	en
dc.subject.other	volatile organic compound	en
dc.subject.other	anaerobic fermentation	en
dc.subject.other	animal experiment	en
dc.subject.other	article	en
dc.subject.other	autolysis	en
dc.subject.other	carcass	en
dc.subject.other	chemical analysis	en
dc.subject.other	controlled study	en
dc.subject.other	desorption	en
dc.subject.other	forensic medicine	en
dc.subject.other	gas chromatography	en
dc.subject.other	image analysis	en
dc.subject.other	nonhuman	en
dc.subject.other	priority journal	en
dc.subject.other	sensitivity analysis	en
dc.subject.other	swine	en
dc.subject.other	temperature sensitivity	en
dc.subject.other	time of flight mass spectrometry	en
dc.subject.other	Animals	en
dc.subject.other	Body Temperature	en
dc.subject.other	Burial	en
dc.subject.other	Confined Spaces	en
dc.subject.other	Forensic Pathology	en
dc.subject.other	Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry	en
dc.subject.other	Gases	en
dc.subject.other	Humans	en
dc.subject.other	Models, Animal	en
dc.subject.other	Postmortem Changes	en
dc.subject.other	Swine	en
dc.subject.other	Time Factors	en
dc.subject.other	Videotape Recording	en
dc.subject.other	Volatile Organic Compounds	en
dc.title	Combined chemical and optical methods for monitoring the early decay stages of surrogate human models	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.02.023	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.02.023	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2011	en
heal.abstract	As the body decays shortly after death, a variety of gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constantly emanate. Ethical and practical reasons limit the use of human corpses in controlled, time-dependent, intervening experiments for monitoring the chemistry of body decay. Therefore the utilization of pig carcasses serves as a potential surrogate to human models. The aim of this work was to study buried body decay in conditions of entrapment in collapsed buildings. Six domestic pigs were used to study carcass decay. They were enclosed in plastic body bags after being partially buried with rubbles, resembling entrapment in collapsed buildings. Three experimental cycles were performed, employing two pig carcasses in each cycle; VOCs and inorganic gases were measured daily, along with daily visible and thermal images. VOCs were collected in standard sorbent tubes and subsequently analyzed using a Thermal Desorption/Gas Chromatograph/high sensitivity bench-top Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (TD/GC/TOF-MS). A comprehensive, stage by stage, detailed information on the decay process is being presented based on the experimental macroscopic observations, justifying thus the use of pig carcasses as surrogate material. A variety of VOCs were identified including almost all chemical classes: sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen compounds (aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids and esters), hydrocarbons, fluorides and chlorides. Carcasses obtained from a pig farm resulted in more sulfur and nitrogen cadaveric volatiles. Carbon dioxide was by far the most abundant inorganic gas identified along with carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. Visual monitoring was based on video captured images allowing for macroscopic observations, while thermal camera monitoring which is mostly temperature dependent, resulted in highlighting the local micro-changes on the carcasses, as a result of the intense microbial activity. The combination of chemical and optical methods proved very useful and informative, uncovering hidden aspects of the early stages of decay and also guiding in the development of combined chemical and imaging methods for the detection of dead bodies. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.	en
heal.publisher	ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD	en
heal.journalName	Forensic Science International	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.02.023	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000292034300030	en
dc.identifier.volume	210	en
dc.identifier.issue	1-3	en
dc.identifier.spage	154	en
dc.identifier.epage	163	en