[en] The decaying process of vertebrates leads to the emission of a wide panel of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While many studies use pigs or rats as surrogate human models, some studies have attempted to characterise the volatilome of human corpses, with very contrasting results. In this literature review, we summarise the genesis of the vertebrate cadaver volatilome, from the breakdown of macromolecules to specific VOCs. Furthermore, we list the analytical methods previously employed to collect, separate, identify and quantify human cadaveric VOCs. We describe the advantages and disadvantages of these methods. Based on previously published reports, we formulate an up-to-date directory of the VOCs identified from human cadavers. We discuss the impact of the heterogeneity of the samples, and the limitations associated with sample size and the intrinsic characteristics of the corpses that were subjected to these studies. Finally, we consider the different applications that would benefit from improving the identification of the human volatilome.
Disciplines :
Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Martin, Clément ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Agronomie, Bio-ingénierie et Chimie (AgroBioChem) > Gestion durable des bio-agresseurs
Verheggen, François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Agronomie, Bio-ingénierie et Chimie (AgroBioChem) > Gestion durable des bio-agresseurs
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