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Volatile substance use in sexual asphyxia.

R W Byard1, C Kostakis, P E Pigou

  • 1Forensic Science Centre, Adelaide, South Australia.

Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine
|September 9, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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This case study highlights a death due to chloroform toxicity and airway obstruction. Headspace analysis of blood confirmed chloroform, aiding investigation in sexual asphyxia cases involving respirators.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Investigative Medicine

Background:

  • Sexual asphyxia cases present unique forensic challenges.
  • Identifying the specific toxic agents involved is crucial for accurate cause of death determination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause of death in a case involving sexual asphyxia and a respirator.
  • To evaluate the utility of headspace analysis in detecting chloroform in post-mortem blood.

Main Methods:

  • Post-mortem examination and scene investigation.
  • Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) for blood analysis.
  • Toxicological analysis for volatile compounds.

Main Results:

  • Discovery of chloroform bottles at the scene.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Confirmation of chloroform in post-mortem blood at 33 mg/L via headspace analysis.
  • Diagnosis of death attributed to combined chloroform toxicity and upper-airway obstruction.

    • Conclusions:

    • Headspace analysis is a valuable tool for detecting volatile substances like chloroform in forensic investigations.
    • This method can aid in determining the cause of death in complex cases involving asphyxiation devices.
    • The combination of upper-airway obstruction and chemical toxicity can be fatal in sexual asphyxia scenarios.