Ethanol formation in unadulterated postmortem tissues

“…Post-mortem formation of ethanol is a frequent problem in forensic toxicology [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9], and variables like putrefaction [6,9], sugar availability in the actual medium [10] and trauma [4,11] may influence the magnitude of ethanol synthesis. After sample collection, the possibility of in vitro ethanol formation is lowered if the samples are handled according to recommended procedures [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vitro formation of ethanol in autopsy samples containing fluoride ions

et al. 2007

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We present a case of a death of a diabetic man where the concentration of ethanol in post-mortem blood rose from 0.4 g/l 2 days after autopsy to 3.5 g/l 10 days after autopsy. The presence of fluoride ions in this blood sample was determined with ion chromatography and verified that fluoride ions were added to the vials. The concentrations of free fluoride, corresponding to 0.21 and 0.25% w/v potassium fluoride in blood and urine, respectively, were somewhat lower than the recommended 1% w/v. However, the amount of fluoride ions bound to calcium, proteins and other compounds in the samples is unknown. The blood sample was also subject to microbiological examination, which revealed growth of bacteria. In addition, a very high concentration of glucose was found in vitreous humour from the deceased. To determine whether the ethanol detected at the first analysis was of ante-mortem origin, ethyl glucuronide was analysed. Its absence, in the blood as well as the urine sample, strongly supported the theory that, in this case, all the ethanol detected was formed post-mortem. This case showed that ethanol may be formed in vitro at a very high concentration, despite the verified presence of fluoride ions. Possible reasons for this unusual formation of ethanol were the abundant presence of bacteria, a high level of glucose and, possibly, an insufficient amount of fluoride added to the vials.

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“…Drugs such as nitrobenzodiazepines [7], cocaine and cocaethylene [8], morphine and its glucuronide metabolites [9] have been reported to decompose or to be biologically degraded in post-mortem analysis material. Ethanol is known to be formed post-mortem [10,11], and also for other substances, e.g. for gammahydroxybutyric acid (GHB) [12], the possibility of a postmortem formation by bacterial enzyme activity has been observed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability of ethyl glucuronide in urine, post-mortem tissue and blood samples

et al. 2005

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The stability of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) under conditions of degradation was examined in urine samples of nine volunteers and in post-mortem tissue (liver, skeletal muscle) and blood taken from seven corpses at autopsies. Analysis was performed via LC-MS/MS. EtG concentrations in urine samples ranged from 2.5 to 296.5 mg/l. When stored at 4 degrees C in airtight test tubes, EtG concentrations remained relatively constant; when stored at room temperature (RT) for 5 weeks in ventilated vials, variations of EtG concentrations ranged from a 30% decrease to an 80% increase, with an average of 37.5% increase. Liver and skeletal muscle tissue of three corpses with positive blood alcohol concentrations (BAC; ranging from 0.106 to 0.183 g%) were stored for 4 weeks and analysed periodically. EtG concentrations decreased 27.7% on average in 4 weeks storage at RT but EtG was still detectable in all samples with initial EtG concentrations higher than 1 mug/g. Blood and liver samples of four corpses with negative BACs were stored at RT after addition of 0.1 g% ethanol, and no new formation of EtG was observed.

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Ethanol formation in unadulterated postmortem tissues

Cited by 47 publications

References 25 publications

A study of ethyl glucuronide in post-mortem blood as a marker of ante-mortem ingestion of alcohol

A study of ethyl glucuronide in post-mortem blood as a marker of ante-mortem ingestion of alcohol

In vitro formation of ethanol in autopsy samples containing fluoride ions

Stability of ethyl glucuronide in urine, post-mortem tissue and blood samples

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