Investigation of sterols as potential biomarkers for the detection of pig (S. s. domesticus) decomposition fluid in soils

von der Lühe, B; Dawson, LA; Mayes, RW; Forbes, SL; Fiedler, S

Investigation of sterols as potential biomarkers for the detection of pig (S. s. domesticus) decomposition fluid in soils

von der Lühe, B Dawson, LA Mayes, RW Forbes, SL

Fiedler, S

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Forensic Science International, 2013, 230 (1-3), pp. 68 - 73
Issue Date:: 2013-07-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	von der Lühe, B	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Dawson, LA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mayes, RW	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Forbes, SL https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7416-0080	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Fiedler, S	en_US
dc.date.available	2013-03-15	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-07-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Forensic Science International, 2013, 230 (1-3), pp. 68 - 73	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0379-0738	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/26449
dc.description.abstract	This study was carried out to evaluate the potential of using cholesterol and coprostanol, as indicators for the detection of decomposition fluid of buried pigs (S. s. domesticus) in soils. In May 2007, four pig carcasses (~35. kg) were buried in shallow graves (~40. cm depth) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Canada. Two pigs were exhumed after three months (Pig 1, Pig 2) and six months (Pig 3, Pig 4) post burial. Soil samples were collected beneath the pig carcasses (~40. cm depth) and from grave walls (~15-20. cm depth) as well as from a parallel control site. Coprostanol and cholesterol were extracted from soils, purified with solid phase extraction (SPE) and analysed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A significant increase in cholesterol concentrations (p<. 0.05) and amounts of coprostanol were detected in soil located beneath the pig carcasses after three months of burial. It is assumed that during the putrefaction and liquefaction stages of decomposition pig fluid which contains cholesterol and coprostanol is released into the underlying soil. Therefore, cholesterol and coprostanol could be used as potential biomarkers to detect the presence of decomposition fluid three months after burial under comparable soil and environmental conditions. Further research is suggested for additional soil sampling before and after three months to investigate the abundance of these and other sterols. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Forensic Science International	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.03.030	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Legal & Forensic Medicine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Animals	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Swine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Postmortem Changes	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cholestanol	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cholesterol	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Sitosterols	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Soil	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Biological Markers	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Models, Animal	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Forensic Pathology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Burial	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Forensic Anthropology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Exhumation	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Solid Phase Extraction	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Biomarkers	en_US
dc.title	Investigation of sterols as potential biomarkers for the detection of pig (S. s. domesticus) decomposition fluid in soils	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1-3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	230	en_US
utslib.for	0699 Other Biological Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CFS - Centre for Forensic Science
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1-3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	230	en_US

Abstract:

This study was carried out to evaluate the potential of using cholesterol and coprostanol, as indicators for the detection of decomposition fluid of buried pigs (S. s. domesticus) in soils. In May 2007, four pig carcasses (~35. kg) were buried in shallow graves (~40. cm depth) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Canada. Two pigs were exhumed after three months (Pig 1, Pig 2) and six months (Pig 3, Pig 4) post burial. Soil samples were collected beneath the pig carcasses (~40. cm depth) and from grave walls (~15-20. cm depth) as well as from a parallel control site. Coprostanol and cholesterol were extracted from soils, purified with solid phase extraction (SPE) and analysed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A significant increase in cholesterol concentrations (p<. 0.05) and amounts of coprostanol were detected in soil located beneath the pig carcasses after three months of burial. It is assumed that during the putrefaction and liquefaction stages of decomposition pig fluid which contains cholesterol and coprostanol is released into the underlying soil. Therefore, cholesterol and coprostanol could be used as potential biomarkers to detect the presence of decomposition fluid three months after burial under comparable soil and environmental conditions. Further research is suggested for additional soil sampling before and after three months to investigate the abundance of these and other sterols. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/26449