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Schieweck A, Schulz N, Amendt J, Birngruber C, Holz F. Catch me if you can-emission patterns of human bodies in relation to postmortem changes. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:1603-1620. [PMID: 38456958 PMCID: PMC11164720 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03194-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The present study examines for the first time the emission patterns and olfactory signatures of 9 complete human corpses of different stages of decomposition. Air sampling was performed inside the body bags with solid sorbents and analysed by coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after thermal desorption (TD-GC-MS). Furthermore, odour-related substances were detected by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). Sulfurous compounds (mainly dimethyl di- and trisulfide) were identified as most important to the odour perception. Around 350 individual organic substances were detected by TD-GC-MS, notably sulfurous and nitrogenous substances as well as branched alkanes, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid esters and ethers. A range of terpenes was detected for the first time in a characteristic emission pattern over all decomposition stages. Concentrations of the substances varied greatly, and no correlation between the emission patterns, the stage of decomposition and the cause of death could be found. While previous studies often analysed pig cadavers or only parts of human tissue, the present study shows the importance of analysing complete human corpses over a range of decomposition stages. Moreover, it is shown that using body bags as a kind of "emission test chamber" is a very promising approach, also because it is a realistic application considering the usual transport and store of a body before autopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schieweck
- Department of Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry, Fraunhofer WKI, Riedenkamp 3, 38108, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Nicole Schulz
- Department of Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry, Fraunhofer WKI, Riedenkamp 3, 38108, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jens Amendt
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Kennedyallee 104, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christoph Birngruber
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Kennedyallee 104, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Franziska Holz
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Kennedyallee 104, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Brockbals L, Garrett-Rickman S, Fu S, Ueland M, McNevin D, Padula MP. Estimating the time of human decomposition based on skeletal muscle biopsy samples utilizing an untargeted LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approach. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:5487-5498. [PMID: 37423904 PMCID: PMC10444689 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04822-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Accurate estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is crucial in forensic medico-legal investigations to understand case circumstances (e.g. narrowing down list of missing persons or include/exclude suspects). Due to the complex decomposition chemistry, estimation of PMI remains challenging and currently often relies on the subjective visual assessment of gross morphological/taphonomic changes of a body during decomposition or entomological data. The aim of the current study was to investigate the human decomposition process up to 3 months after death and propose novel time-dependent biomarkers (peptide ratios) for the estimation of decomposition time. An untargeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry-based bottom-up proteomics workflow (ion mobility separated) was utilized to analyse skeletal muscle, collected repeatedly from nine body donors decomposing in an open eucalypt woodland environment in Australia. Additionally, general analytical considerations for large-scale proteomics studies for PMI determination are raised and discussed. Multiple peptide ratios (human origin) were successfully proposed (subgroups < 200 accumulated degree days (ADD), < 655 ADD and < 1535 ADD) as a first step towards generalised, objective biochemical estimation of decomposition time. Furthermore, peptide ratios for donor-specific intrinsic factors (sex and body mass) were found. Search of peptide data against a bacterial database did not yield any results most likely due to the low abundance of bacterial proteins within the collected human biopsy samples. For comprehensive time-dependent modelling, increased donor number would be necessary along with targeted confirmation of proposed peptides. Overall, the presented results provide valuable information that aid in the understanding and estimation of the human decomposition processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Brockbals
- Centre for Forensic Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Samara Garrett-Rickman
- Centre for Forensic Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Shanlin Fu
- Centre for Forensic Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Maiken Ueland
- Centre for Forensic Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Dennis McNevin
- Centre for Forensic Science, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Matthew P Padula
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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Giles SB, Errickson D, Márquez-Grant N. A retrospective comparative study to evaluate the reliability of post-mortem interval sources in UK and US medico-legal death investigations. Sci Justice 2022; 62:246-261. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Quantifying visible absorbance changes and DNA degradation in aging bloodstains under extreme temperatures. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 318:110627. [PMID: 33296804 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Physicochemical property changes observed in a degrading bloodstain can be used to estimate its time since deposition (TSD) and provide a timestamp to the sample's age. Many of the time-dependent processes that occur as a bloodstain degrades, such as DNA fragmentation and changes in hemoglobin structure, also exhibit temperature-dependent behaviours. Previous studies have demonstrated that pairing high-resolution automated gel electrophoresis and visible absorbance spectroscopy could be used to quantify the rate of degradation of a bloodstain in relation to time and storage substrate. Our study investigates such trends with an added factor, extreme temperatures. Passive drip stains were stored in either microcentrifuge tubes or on FTA cards at either -20°C, 21°C or 40°C and tested over 11 time points spanning 15 days. For both storage substrates, the wavelength at maximum absorbance for the Soret band and the maximum absorbance of the Alpha band showed a negative trend over time suggesting that spectral shifts are informative for TSD estimates. The ratio of the maximum peak height for DNA fragments lengths of 500-1000 base pairs to 1000-5000 base pairs was the most informative DNA variable in relation to time for both substrates. Cross-validation suggested the appropriate fit of the models with the data and reasonable predictive ability. We integrated both DNA concentration and hemoglobin visible absorbance metrics using principal component analysis (PCA) into a single model. Adding the random effect of the donor to the PCA model accounted for a large portion of the variation as did storage method and temperature. Additionally, canonical correspondence showed that temperature corresponded differently to the response variables for FTA card and microcentrifuge tube samples, suggesting a substrate specific effect. This study confirms that pairing DNA concentration and hemoglobin's visible absorbance can provide insight on the effect of different environmental and storage conditions on bloodstain degradation. While the level of uncertainty surrounding TSD estimates still precludes its use in the field, this study provides a valuable framework that improves our understanding of variation surrounding TSD estimates, which will be critical to any eventual application.
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Martin C, Maesen P, Minchilli D, Francis F, Verheggen F. Forensic taphonomy: Characterization of the gravesoil chemistry using a multivariate approach combining chemical and volatile analyses. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 318:110569. [PMID: 33248327 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Soil thanatochemistry, defined as the study of the chemical changes occurring during the decomposition of buried corpses, is a young and inadequately documented field of research. In this study, we aim to determine the effects of decomposition on soil physico-chemical properties by combining pedological, chemical, and volatile analyses of soils surrounding buried animals. We examined chemical and volatile changes over time occurring throughout the soil column in two common soil-texture types (sandy loam and loam). We buried dead rats and let them decompose for two months. During their excavations, we characterized the physico-chemical conditions of three soil layers above the rats and one layer below, including (1) pH, dry matter, and electrical conductivity, (2) organic carbon and total nitrogen, (3) bioavailable nutrients (K, Na, Mg, Ca, and P), and (4) volatile organic compounds. Multivariate analyses (permMANOVA) revealed that a decaying rat is associated with changes in soil chemical characteristics in both soil types. However, the observed changes were not homogenous throughout the soil columns. Conditions in soil layers nearest the cadavers changed most during decomposition. We generated a predictive model by combining chemical and volatile analyses (10 % error rate), allowing us to identify key gravesoil indicators that could be used to reveal the former existence of a buried corpse in loam and sandy loam (indicators in order of importance): organic carbon, calcium, pH, conductivity, dimethyl-disulfide, and nitrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Martin
- TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
| | - Philippe Maesen
- BEAGX, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
| | - Damien Minchilli
- TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
| | - Frédéric Francis
- TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
| | - François Verheggen
- TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage Des déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
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Revolution in death sciences: body farms and taphonomics blooming. A review investigating the advantages, ethical and legal aspects in a Swiss context. Int J Legal Med 2020; 134:1875-1895. [DOI: 10.1007/s00414-020-02272-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Deo A, Forbes SL, Stuart BH, Ueland M. Profiling the seasonal variability of decomposition odour from human remains in a temperate Australian environment. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2019.1637938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alisha Deo
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Shari L. Forbes
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Barbara H. Stuart
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Maiken Ueland
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
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Collins S, Stuart B, Ueland M. Monitoring human decomposition products collected in clothing: an infrared spectroscopy study. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2019.1593504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sharni Collins
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Barbara Stuart
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Maiken Ueland
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
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Sampling Dynamics for Volatile Organic Compounds Using Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Arrow for Microbiological Samples. SEPARATIONS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/separations5030045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are monitored in numerous fields using several commercially-available sampling options. Sorbent-based sampling techniques, such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME), provide pre-concentration and focusing of VOCs prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. This study investigated the dynamics of SPME Arrow, which exhibits an increased sorbent phase volume and improved durability compared to traditional SPME fibers. A volatile reference mixture (VRM) and saturated alkanes mix (SAM) were used to investigate optimal parameters for microbiological VOC profiling in combination with GC–MS analysis. Fiber type, extraction time, desorption time, carryover, and reproducibility were characterized, in addition to a comparison with traditional SPME fibers. The developed method was then applied to longitudinal monitoring of Bacillus subtilis cultures, which represents a ubiquitous microbe in medical, forensic, and agricultural applications. The carbon wide range/polydimethylsiloxane (CWR/PDMS) fiber was found to be optimal for the range of expected VOCs in microbiological profiling, and a statistically significant increase in the majority of VOCs monitored was observed. B. subtilis cultures released a total of 25 VOCs of interest, across three different temporal trend categories (produced, consumed, and equilibrated). This work will assist in providing foundational data for the use of SPME Arrow in future microbiological applications.
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Gruber B, Weggler B, Jaramillo R, Murrell K, Piotrowski P, Dorman F. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography in forensic science: A critical review of recent trends. Trends Analyt Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2018.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Knobel Z, Ueland M, Nizio KD, Patel D, Forbes SL. A comparison of human and pig decomposition rates and odour profiles in an Australian environment. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2018.1439100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zaccariah Knobel
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
| | - Maiken Ueland
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
| | - Katie D. Nizio
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
| | - Darshil Patel
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
| | - Shari L. Forbes
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
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