Cadaveric volatilome; Forensic science; Headspace sampling; Submerged remains; Analytical Chemistry; Pathology and Forensic Medicine; Spectroscopy; Physical and Theoretical Chemistry; Materials Chemistry; Law
Abstract :
[en] The cadaveric volatilome of terrestrial decomposition, including buried corpses, has been extensively studied in recent taphonomic research. However, there has been comparatively less attention given to the volatile organic compounds associated with submerged vertebrate remains. This decaying process is distinct, as evidenced by the succession of decay stages that significantly differ from terrestrial decomposition. Indeed, five stages can be delineated: fresh, early floating, floating decay, deterioration, and sunken remains. Due to the unique nature of underwater decomposition, we anticipate the release of different cadaveric volatiles from submerged remains. In this study, we characterize the volatile compounds emitted during underwater decomposition and that reach the surface. Rat cadavers were placed individually in glass chambers filled with water. The volatiles released at the surface were subsequently collected three times per week over the course of a month. Two types of water, fresh and marine, were used to assess the potential influence of the salinity level on the cadaveric volatilome. A total of 33 volatile compounds were identified, with the majority having previously been reported in the headspace of cadavers undergoing decomposition in a terrestrial environment. Among these compounds, those containing sulfur were the most abundant, with dimethyl disulfide being the major one. Our findings did not reveal any discernible impact of salinity levels on the volatile profile, which was, however, affected by the specific decaying stage. Notably, 3-methyl-indole emerged as a promising candidate for distinguishing between the first two stages of decomposition and the subsequent third stage.
Verheggen, F.J., Perrault, K.A., Caparros Megido, R., Dubois, L., Francis, F., Haubruge, E., Forbes, S.L., Focant, J.-F., Stefanuto, P.-P.-H., The odor of death : an overview of current knowledge on characterization and applications. Bioscience. 67 (2017), 600–613, 10.1093/biosci/bix046.
Rosier, E., Loix, S., Develter, W., Van de Voorde, W., Tytgat, J., Cuypers, E., Time-dependent VOC-profile of decomposed human and animal remains in laboratory environment. Forensic Sci. Int. 266 (2016), 164–169, 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.05.035.
Forbes, S.L., Rust, L.T., Trebilcock, K., Perrault, K.A., McGrath, L.T., Effect of age and storage conditions on the volatile organic compound profile of blood. Forensic Sci. Med. Pathol. 10 (2014), 570–582, 10.1007/s12024-014-9610-3.
Perrault, K.A., Stuart, B.H., Forbes, S.L., A Longitudinal Study of Decomposition Odour in Soil Using Sorbent Tubes and Solid Phase Microextraction. Chromatography. 1 (2014), 120–140, 10.3390/chromatography1030120.
Haefner, J., Wallace, J., Merritt, R., Pig Decomposition in Lotic Aquatic Systems: The Potential Use of Algal Growth in Establishing a Postmortem Submersion Interval (PMSI). J. Forensic Sci. 49 (2004), 1–7, 10.1520/JFS2003283.
Dalal, J., Sharma, S., Bhardwaj, T., Dhattarwal, S.K., Verma, K., Seasonal study of the decomposition pattern and insects on a submerged pig cadaver. J. Forensic Leg. Med., 74, 2020, 102023, 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.102023.
Heaton, V., Lagden, A., Moffatt, C., Simmons, T., Predicting the postmortem submersion interval for human remains recovered from U.K. waterways. J. Forensic Sci. 55 (2010), 302–307, 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01291.x.
Tomberlin, J.K., Adler, H.P., Seasonal Colonization and Decomposition of Rat Carrion in Water and on Land in an Open Field in South Carolina. J. Med. Entomol. 5 (1998), 704–709.
Martin, C., Vanderplanck, M., Boullis, A., Haubruge, E., Verheggen, F., Impact of necrophagous insects on the emission of volatile organic compounds released during the decaying process. Entomol. Gen. 39 (2019), 19–31, 10.1127/entomologia/2019/0663.
Amendt, J., Krettek, R., Zehner, R., Forensic entomology. Naturwissenschaften. 91 (2004), 51–65, 10.1007/s00114-003-0493-5.
Stuart, B.H., Ueland, M., Decomposition in Aquatic Environments, Taphon. Hum. Remain. Forensic Anal. Dead Depos. Environ., 2017, 235–250, 10.1002/9781118953358.ch17.
Dubois, L., Stefanuto, P.-H.-P., Heudt, L., Focant, J.-F.-J., Perrault, K.A., Characterizing decomposition odor from soil and adipocere samples at a death scene using HS-SPME-GC×GC-HRTOFMS. Forensic Chem. 8 (2018), 11–20, 10.1016/j.forc.2018.01.001.
Payne, J., King, E., Insect succession and decomposition of pig carcasses in water. J. Georg. Etomol. Soc., 1972, 153–162.
Dekeirsschieter, J., Stefanuto, P.H., Brasseur, C., Haubruge, E., Focant, J.-F., Enhanced characterization of the smell of death by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS). PLoS One., 7, 2012, 10.1371/journal.pone.0039005.
Dekeirsschieter, J., Verheggen, F.J., Gohy, M., Hubrecht, F., Bourguignon, L., Lognay, G., Haubruge, E., Cadaveric volatile organic compounds released by decaying pig carcasses (Sus domesticus L.) in different biotopes. Forensic Sci. Int. 189 (2009), 46–53, 10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.03.034.
Martin, C., Verheggen, F., Odour profile of human corpses: A review. Forensic Chem. 10 (2018), 27–36, 10.1016/j.forc.2018.07.002.
Statheropoulos, M., Agapiou, A., Zorba, E., Mikedi, K., Karma, S., Pallis, G.C., Eliopoulos, C., Spiliopoulou, C., Combined chemical and optical methods for monitoring the early decay stages of surrogate human models. Forensic Sci. Int. 210 (2011), 154–163, 10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.02.023.
Liu, W., Longnecker, M., Tarone, A.M., Tomberlin, J.K., Responses of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to compounds from microbial decomposition of larval resources. Anim. Behav. 115 (2016), 217–225, 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.03.022.
Martin, C., Verheggen, F., All equal in the face of death! – Characterization of the volatile cadaveric compounds of fresh stage human corpses. Forensic Chem., 35, 2023, 10.1016/j.forc.2023.100516.
Rosier, E., Loix, S., Develter, W., Van De Voorde, W., Tytgat, J., Cuypers, E., The search for a volatile human specific marker in the decomposition process. PLoS One. 10 (2015), 1–15, 10.1371/journal.pone.0137341.
Irish, L., Rennie, S.R., Parkes, G.M.B., Williams, A., Identification of decomposition volatile organic compounds from surface-deposited and submerged porcine remains. Sci. Justice. 59 (2019), 503–515, 10.1016/j.scijus.2019.03.007.
N.I. Caraballo, B. Sc, K.G. Furton, D. Ph, An Investigation into the Volatile Organic Compounds Released from Submerged Remains, (2016).
Forbes, S.L., Perrault, K.A., Decomposition odour profiling in the air and soil surrounding vertebrate carrion. PLoS One. 9 (2014), 21–22, 10.1371/journal.pone.0095107.
Cablk, M.E., Szelagowski, E.E., Sagebiel, J.C., Characterization of the volatile organic compounds present in the headspace of decomposing animal remains, and compared with human remains. Forensic Sci. Int. 220 (2012), 118–125, 10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.02.007.
P. Armstrong, K.D. Nizio, K.A. Perrault, S.L. Forbes, Establishing the volatile profile of pig carcasses as analogues for human decomposition during the early postmortem period, Heliyon. 2 (2016) 1–24. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2016.e00070.
Perrault, K.A., Stefanuto, P.-H., Stuart, B.H., Rai, T., Focant, J.-F., Forbes, S.L., Reducing variation in decomposition odour profiling using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography. J. Sep. Sci. 38 (2015), 73–80, 10.1002/jssc.201400935.
Malevic, M., Verheggen, F., Martin, C., Potential of direct immersion solid-phase microextraction to characterize dissolved volatile organic compounds released by submerged decaying rat cadavers. Forensic Chem. 34 (2023), 8–11, 10.1016/j.forc.2023.100488.
Nizio, K.D., Ueland, M., Stuart, B.H., Forbes, S.L., The analysis of textiles associated with decomposing remains as a natural training aid for cadaver-detection dogs. Forensic Chem. 5 (2017), 33–45, 10.1016/j.forc.2017.06.002.
Bugelli, V., Gherardi, M., Focardi, M., Pinchi, V., Vanin, S., Pietro Campobasso, C., Decomposition pattern and insect colonization in two cases of suicide by hanging. Forensic Sci. Res. 3 (2018), 94–102, 10.1080/20961790.2017.1418622.
Anderson, G.S., Hobischak, N.R., Decomposition of carrion in the marine environment in British Columbia, Canada. Int. J. Legal Med. 118 (2004), 206–209, 10.1007/s00414-004-0447-2.
Ueland, M., Collins, S., Maestrini, L., Forbes, S.L., Luong, S., Fresh vs. frozen human decomposition – a preliminary investigation of lipid degradation products as biomarkers of post-mortem interval. Forensic Chem., 24, 2021, 100335, 10.1016/j.forc.2021.100335.
A.A. Vass, R.R. Smith, C. V. Thompson, M.N. Burnett, D.A. Wolf, J.A. Synstelien, N. Dulgerian, B.A. Eckenrode, N. Dulgerian, Decompositional odor analysis database, J. Forensic Sci. 49 (2004) 760–769. JFS2003434.
Dent, B.B., Forbes, S.L., Stuart, B.H., Review of human decomposition processes in soil. Environ. Geol. 45 (2004), 576–585, 10.1007/s00254-003-0913-z.
