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Comparison of postmortem butane distribution between two fatal butane poisoning cases
Kaori Shintani-Ishida1, Hajime Tsuboi1, Hiroaki Ichioka1
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Legal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan)
|October 3, 2018
Summary
Fatal butane abuse can be deadly. Analyzing butane levels in different postmortem samples, like blood and fatty tissues, helps determine the cause and survival time after butane poisoning.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Butane abuse is a global issue, often resulting in fatal accidents.
- Accurate postmortem analysis of butane concentration is crucial for determining cause of death, but requires careful interpretation due to gas diffusion.
Observation:
- Two fatal butane poisoning cases were analyzed, quantifying butane in various autopsy samples (heart blood, femoral blood, kidney, liver, lung, brain, fatty tissues).
- In both cases, lower butane concentration was observed in left heart blood compared to right heart or femoral blood.
- Fatty tissue to femoral blood butane concentration ratios varied significantly between cases (70+ vs. 8.2), correlating with suspected survival times.
Findings:
- Lower left heart blood butane levels suggest interrupted inhalation and room air intake before death, ruling out simple asphyxia.
- High fatty tissue to blood butane ratios indicate longer survival times post-inhalation, while lower ratios suggest acute death.
Implications:
- Comparing butane concentrations across different postmortem samples (e.g., left vs. right heart blood, fatty tissue vs. blood) is vital for accurate interpretation.
- This analytical approach aids in elucidating the mechanism of death and estimating survival duration in butane poisoning cases.
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