Marcin Tomsia1, Joanna Nowicka1, Rafał Skowronek1, Gulnaz T. Javan2, Elżbieta Chełmecka3
Concentrations of volatile substances in costal cartilage
in relation to blood and urine – preliminary studies
1 Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia
in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
2Department of Physical Sciences and Forensic Science Programs, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, USA
3 Department of Statistics, Department of Instrumental Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University
of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
Abstract
Aim: The study aimed to examine whether volatile substances (ethanol, isopropanol, and acetone) can be detected in
costal cartilage and also if concentrations of detected substances reliably reflect their concentrations in the peripheral
blood – the standard forensic material for toxicological analyses. Such knowledge can be useful in cases when a cadaver’s
blood is unavailable or contaminated.
Material and methods: Ethanol, isopropanol, and acetone concentrations were determined in samples of unground
costal cartilage (UCC), ground costal cartilage (GCC), femoral venous blood, and urine. The samples were analysed by
gas chromatography (GC) with a flame ionization detector using headspace analysis.
Results: Volatile substances were detected in 12 out of 100 analysed samples. There was a strong positive correlation
between ethanol concentration in the blood and urine (r = 0.899, p < 0.001), UCC (r = 0.809, p < 0.01), and GCC
(r = 0.749, p < 0.01). A similar strong correlation was found for isopropanol concentration in the blood and urine
(r = 0.979, p < 0.001), UCC (r = 0.866, p < 0.001), and GCC (r = 0.942, p < 0.001). Acetone concentration in the blood
strongly correlated only with its concentration in urine (r = 0.960, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: We demonstrated for the first time the possibility of detecting volatile substances: ethanol, isopropanol
and acetone in a human costal cartilage. Also, the study showed that higher volatiles concentrations were better determined
in ground samples.
Key words: ethanol, acetone, costal cartilage, volatile substance, isopropanol, gas chromatography with a flame
ionization detector.
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