A preliminary investigation of the stages of adipocere formation

Forbes, SL; Stuart, BH; Dadour, IR; Dent, BB

A preliminary investigation of the stages of adipocere formation

Forbes, SL

Stuart, BH

Dadour, IR Dent, BB

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2004, 49 (3), pp. 566 - 574
Issue Date:: 2004-05-01

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	2004000103.pdf		681.28 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Forbes, SL https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7416-0080	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Stuart, BH https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9540-4435	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Dadour, IR	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Dent, BB	en_US
dc.date.issued	2004-05-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2004, 49 (3), pp. 566 - 574	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0022-1198	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3533
dc.description.abstract	Adipocere is a postmortem decomposition product which forms from a body's adipose tissue. This study aimed to chemically demonstrate the process of conversion from adipose tissue to adipocere. Samples of adipocere were collected from pig cadavers that were allowed to decompose for varying intervals. Samples of soil were collected from beneath the cadavers and analyzed to determine the leaching effect of adipocere. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to quantify the fatty acid composition of pig adipocere. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used as a confirmatory test and to identify other components such as triglycerides and calcium salts of fatty acids. The study demonstrates the process of adipocere formation and the stages of formation through which the process passes using chemical techniques.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Forensic Sciences	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Legal & Forensic Medicine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adipose Tissue	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Animals	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Swine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Postmortem Changes	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Soil	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Forensic Anthropology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry	en_US
dc.title	A preliminary investigation of the stages of adipocere formation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	49	en_US
utslib.for	0399 Other Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	0699 Other Biological Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical 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 Engineering and Information Technology
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	3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	49	en_US

Abstract:

Adipocere is a postmortem decomposition product which forms from a body's adipose tissue. This study aimed to chemically demonstrate the process of conversion from adipose tissue to adipocere. Samples of adipocere were collected from pig cadavers that were allowed to decompose for varying intervals. Samples of soil were collected from beneath the cadavers and analyzed to determine the leaching effect of adipocere. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to quantify the fatty acid composition of pig adipocere. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used as a confirmatory test and to identify other components such as triglycerides and calcium salts of fatty acids. The study demonstrates the process of adipocere formation and the stages of formation through which the process passes using chemical techniques.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3533