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Ethanol concentrations in antemortem blood samples under controlled conditions
Stojan Petković1, Slobodan Savić, Dragana Zgonjanin
1Institute of Forensic Medicine, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Hajduk Veljkova 5-7, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia. pstojan@eunet.yu
Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
|October 24, 2008
Summary
This study investigated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) changes in improperly stored samples. Surprisingly, no ethanol was produced in samples from sober individuals, even under suboptimal storage conditions.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Accurate postmortem blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is crucial for forensic investigations.
- Improper sample processing can potentially lead to changes in BAC due to ethanol production or degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the potential for ethanol production in antemortem blood samples that were inadequately processed.
- To assess the stability of BAC in blood samples stored under various conditions.
Main Methods:
- Nine healthy, sober volunteers provided blood samples after overnight fasting.
- Samples were stored with or without sodium fluoride (NaF) at 4°C and 20°C for 12, 24, and 48 hours.
- Blood alcohol concentration was analyzed using gas chromatography.
Main Results:
- All tested blood samples exhibited very low blood alcohol concentration values.
- No significant ethanol production was detected in any of the experimental groups.
Conclusions:
- Antemortem blood samples from sober individuals, even when improperly processed and stored, did not show evidence of ethanol production.
- These findings suggest that standard storage protocols may be robust enough to prevent artifactual BAC increases in forensic samples from non-drinking individuals.
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