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The postmortem redistribution of iso-α-acids in postmortem specimens
Luke N Rodda1, Dimitri Gerostamoulos, Olaf H Drummer
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 65 Kavanagh Street, Southbank, VIC, 3006, Australia.
Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology
|October 17, 2014
Summary
Iso-alpha-acids (IAA) confirm beer consumption in forensic cases. Postmortem blood analysis shows IAA levels are weakly affected by time after death but are threefold higher in serum than whole blood.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Iso-alpha-acids (IAA) and their reduced forms are specific beer congeners.
- Detection in biological samples can confirm beer consumption.
- Postmortem casework analysis revealed a high prevalence of beer consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effect of postmortem interval and blood quality on IAA concentrations.
- To understand IAA behavior in postmortem specimens for forensic casework.
- To assess the reliability of IAA as a biomarker for beer consumption after death.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of postmortem whole blood and serum samples.
- Utilized ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS).
- Investigated concentrations of trans-IAA, cis-IAA, and tetrahydro-IAA (TIAA).
Main Results:
- IAA concentrations showed weak association with the postmortem interval.
- Serum exhibited threefold higher concentrations of trans-IAA, cis-IAA, and TIAA compared to whole blood.
- Postmortem redistribution of IAA groups was observed.
Conclusions:
- While direct comparison to living individuals is limited, IAA analysis aids in confirming beer consumption in forensic casework.
- Serum is a more sensitive matrix than whole blood for detecting IAA postmortem.
- Findings provide crucial data for interpreting beer consumption in postmortem investigations.
