Assessment of the role played by n-propanol in distinction of ethanol source in postmortem blood with the assistance of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate

Modeling Postmortem Ethanol Production/Insights into the Origin of Higher Alcohols

“…It is worth mentioning that the authors considered that the detected 1-propanol concentrations in their samples (up to 3 mg/dL) were negligible [ 42 ]. Nevertheless, in the view of the current review and other studies [ 13 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 40 ], the reported 1-propanol concentrations [ 42 ] are typical of microbial production. Theoretically, the post-sampling production of higher alcohols and ethanol are equally possible to occur, under certain circumstances since they have a microbial origin.…”

“…Two more studies have reported blood ethanol and 1-propanol concentrations from postmortem cases ( Table 2 ) [ 13 , 40 ]. The first study reported the blood ethanol and 1-propanol concentrations (among those of other volatiles) determined in autopsy cases from natural, violent, and unspecified causes of death [ 40 ].…”

“…Interestingly, the higher 1-propanol concentrations were detected in cases with putrefaction [ 40 ]. The second study reported blood ethanol and 1-propanol concentrations for 42 postmortem cases; 18 out of the 42 tested samples were negative for 1-propanol [ 13 ]. Both these studies [ 13 , 40 ] reported that ethanol or 1-propanol was not detected in all postmortem samples (as was reported in Reference [ 36 ], as well), nor in all cases with putrefaction, in agreement with our previously expressed consideration [ 41 ].…”

“…The second study reported blood ethanol and 1-propanol concentrations for 42 postmortem cases; 18 out of the 42 tested samples were negative for 1-propanol [ 13 ]. Both these studies [ 13 , 40 ] reported that ethanol or 1-propanol was not detected in all postmortem samples (as was reported in Reference [ 36 ], as well), nor in all cases with putrefaction, in agreement with our previously expressed consideration [ 41 ]. Finally, the study of Bonde suggested that a blood concentration of 1-butanol higher than 0.3 mg/L (0.03 mg/dL) is a biomarker of putrefaction (because of microbial action) [ 32 ].…”

“…Factors, such as the putrefaction state of the cadaver at autopsy, the clinical history of the deceased, the determination of glucose levels, the identification of microbes in the analyzed sample, and the evaluation of the discrepancies between ethanol concentration from various sampling sites and from different specimens, have been used to evaluate the origin of the measured ethanol, in the effort to achieve feasible accuracy in interpreting the postmortem ethanol analysis results [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 ]. Furthermore, several biochemical molecules have been suggested to be determined in the biological specimens, and to be evaluated, mainly, as qualitative indicators of either antemortem ethanol consumption [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], or postmortem neoformation of ethanol [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”