ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 8

The Distribution of Ethanol in Postmortem Blood Specimens
Briglia, EJ
Chief, Toxicology Laboratory, Division of Forensic Sciences, Suffolk County, Doctor Sidney B. Weinberg Center for Forensic Sciences (487), New York

Bidanset, JH
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John's University, New York

Dal Cortivo, LA
Former Director of Laboratories, Division of Forensic Sciences, Suffolk County, New York

(Received 22 February 1990; accepted 18 November 1991)

Abstract

Ethanol was determined by gas chromatography in a variety of tissues and body fluids secured at autopsy in 61 cases. The specimens tested included right and left heart blood, femoral blood, pericardial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous humor, urine, stomach contents, and brain.

Statistical analysis of the cases revealed no significant differences among the various blood sites tested. However, the variations in blood ethanol concentrations among the various sampling sites within each case were as follows: 40 cases showed differences of less than 25%; 16 cases revealed variability between 25% and 50%, 4 cases had differences exceeding 50%. In one case, satisfactory blood analyses could not be accomplished. The larger variances occurred especially in those instances in which stomach alcohol concentration was 0.50% or greater. In one case, the variability amongst the different blood sites exceeded 400% (femoral blood—0.043%, right atrium—0.070%, root of aorta—0.156%); the brain was 0.050%, and the stomach contents was 1.2%. For all 61 cases, variances in blood alcohol content among the different sampling sites in a single cadaver ranged from 1.8 to 428%.

Keywords:
toxicology, ethanol, postmortem blood specimens

Paper ID: JFS13284J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13284J
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