Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of drug distributions in decomposed and buried postmortem tissues and bones of pigs administered of drugs

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Forensic Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Interpretation of drug levels in decomposed and buried corpses is difficult. We aimed to determine postmortem distribution of drugs in putrefied-decomposed visceral tissues and buried bones, and the effect of decomposition and burial on distribution of drugs in organs and bone tissues by administering drug groups selected from various drug classes to domestic pigs.

Methods

Pigs were divided into groups (n = 5) and dosed with a variety of drugs. Peripheral blood, organ and bone samples in different anatomical locations were collected from pigs killed. Organ samples were collected at postmortem 4th, 24th, 48th, 72nd and 96th hour. Then the corpses were buried below soil ground. Bone samples from buried corpses were collected at 5th and 10th months of the burial time by exhumation. All samples were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after making sample preparation using appropriate methods.

Results

Only 10 of the 14 drugs were detected in the initial peripheral blood. For all bone types analyzed, highest drug levels were detected at thorax region and lowest drug levels were detected at the lower extremity. Given the fact that most of the soft tissue is located in the thorax region, it is possible that during the decomposition process, drugs partitioned from the liquefied tissue into bones. That the drug levels in bones decreased was observed when exhumation was done at 10th month of the burial time.

Conclusions

Drug distribution in organ and bone of decomposed and burial corpses vary due to unknown mechanisms and completely unexplained conditions such as postmortem redistribution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Levine B (2003) Principles of forensic toxicology, 2nd edn. AACC Press, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  2. Dinis-Oliveira RJ, Carvalho F, Duarte JA et al (2010) Collection of biological samples in forensic toxicology. Toxicol Mech Methods 20:363–414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Skopp G (2004) Preanalytic aspects in postmortem toxicology. Forensic Sci Int 142:75–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.02.012

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Dent BB, Forbes SL, Stuart BH (2004) Review of human decomposition processes in soil. Environ Geol 45:576–585. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-003-0913-z

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Käferstein H, Sticht G, Madea B (2013) Chlorprothixene in bodies after exhumation. Forensic Sci Int 229:e30–34.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.03.051

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Wyman JF, Dean DE, Yinger R et al (2011) The temporal fate of drugs in decomposing porcine tissue. J Forensic Sci 56:694–699. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01725.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Watterson JH, Desrosiers NA, Betit CC et al (2010) Relative distribution of drugs in decomposed skeletal tissue. J Anal Toxicol 34:510–515. https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/34.8.510

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Drummer OH (2008) Drugs in bone and bone marrow. In: Jenkins AJ (ed) Drug testing in alternate biological specimens. Humana Press, Totowa, pp 131–137

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Stepensky D, Kleinberg L, Hoffman A (2003) Bone as an effect compartment. Clin Pharmacokinet 42:863–881. https://doi.org/10.2165/00003088-200342100-00001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. McIntyre IM, King C, Boratto M, Drummer OH (2000) Postmortem drug analyses in bone and bone marrow. Ther Drug Monit 22:79–83. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007691-200002000-00017

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Watterson JH, Donohue JP (2011) Relative distribution of ketamine and norketamine in skeletal tissues following various periods of decomposition. J Anal Toxicol 35:452–458. https://doi.org/10.1093/anatox/35.7.452

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wiebe TR, Watterson JH (2014) Analysis of tramadol and O-desmethyltramadol in decomposed skeletal tissues following acute and repeated tramadol exposure by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Forensic Sci Int 242:261–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.07.010

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Fraser CD, Cornthwaite HM, Watterson JH (2015) Analysis of dextromethorphan and dextrorphan in decomposed skeletal tissues by microwave assisted extraction, microplate solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MAE-MPSPE-GCMS). Drug Test Anal 7:708–713. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.1754

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Imfeld AB, Watterson JH (2016) Influence of dose-death interval on colchicine and metabolite distribution in decomposed skeletal tissues. Int J Legal Med 130:371–379. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1196-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Mella M, Schweitzer B, Mallet CR et al (2017) Detection of cocaine and metabolites in bone following decomposition using 2D LC–MS-MS. J Anal Toxicol. https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bkx106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. McIntyre IM, Mallett P (2012) Sertraline concentrations and postmortem redistribution. Forensic Sci Int 223:349–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.10.020

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Drummer OH (2004) Postmortem toxicology of drugs of abuse. Forensic Sci Int 142:101–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.02.013

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lafreniere NM, Watterson JH (2009) Detection of acute fentanyl exposure in fresh and decomposed skeletal tissues. Forensic Sci Int 185:100–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.12.019

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Watterson JH, VandenBoer TC (2008) Effects of tissue type and the dose-death interval on the detection of acute ketamine exposure in bone and marrow with solid-phase extraction and ELISA with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry confirmation. J Anal Toxicol 32:631–638. https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/32.8.631

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Desrosiers NA, Watterson JH, Dean D, Wyman JF (2012) Detection of amitriptyline, citalopram, and metabolites in porcine bones following extended outdoor decomposition. J Forensic Sci 57:544–549. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01994.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (2013) Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) standard practices for method validation in forensic toxicology. J Anal Toxicol 37:452–474. https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bkt054

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Flanagan RJ, Amin A, Seinen W (2003) Effect of postmortem changes on peripheral and central whole blood and tissue clozapine and norclozapine concentrations in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa). Forensic Sci Int 132:9–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(02)00414-0

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Nilsson GH, Kugelberg FC, Kronstrand R, Ahlner J (2010) Stability tests of zopiclone in whole blood. Forensic Sci Int 200:130–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.04.001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Shiota H, Nakashima M, Terazono H et al (2004) Postmortem changes in tissue concentrations of triazolam and diazepam in rats. Leg Med 6:224–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2004.05.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Cattaneo C, Gigli F, Lodi F, Grandi M (2003) The detection of morphine and codeine in human teeth: an aid in the identification and study of human skeletal remains. J Forensic Odontostomatol 21:1–5

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. McGrath KK, Jenkins AJ (2009) Detection of drugs of forensic importance in postmortem bone. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 30:40–44. https://doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0b013e31818738c9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Watterson JH, Desrosiers NA (2011) Examination of the effect of dose-death interval on detection of meperidine exposure in decomposed skeletal tissues using microwave-assisted extraction. Forensic Sci Int 207:40–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.08.021

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Watterson JH, Cornthwaite HM (2013) Discrimination between patterns of drug exposure by toxicological analysis of decomposed skeletal tissues. Part II: amitriptyline and citalopram. J Anal Toxicol 37:565–572. https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bkt078

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Delabarde T, Keyser C, Tracqui A et al (2013) The potential of forensic analysis on human bones found in riverine environment. Forensic Sci Int 228:e1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.03.019

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Vardakou I, Athanaselis S, Pistos C et al (2014) The clavicle bone as an alternative matrix in forensic toxicological analysis. J Forensic Leg Med 22:7–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2013.11.012

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Cornthwaite HM, Watterson JH (2014) The influence of body position and microclimate on ketamine and metabolite distribution in decomposed skeletal remains. J Anal Toxicol 38:548–554. https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bku053

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Moffaf A, Osselton M, Widdop B (2011) Clarke’s analysis of drugs and poisons, 4th edn. Pharmaceutical Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  33. Baselt RC (2009) Disposition of toxic drugs and chemicals in man, 8th edn. Biomedical Publications, Foster City

    Google Scholar 

  34. Molina DK (2010) Handbook of forensic toxicology for medical examiners. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by Research Fund of the Cukurova University (Project Number: TF2013YL14).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey

    Ismail Ethem Goren, Nebile Gokce Daglioglu & Mete Korkut Gülmen

  2. Experimental Research and Application Center of Medical Sciences, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey

    Yusuf Kenan Daglioglu

Authors
  1. Ismail Ethem Goren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nebile Gokce Daglioglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yusuf Kenan Daglioglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mete Korkut Gülmen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nebile Gokce Daglioglu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

We declare that there is not conflict of interest for the article: “Determination of Drug Distributions in Decomposed and Buried Postmortem Tissues and Bones of Pigs Administered Drugs”.

Ethical approval

The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Research and Application Center of Medical Sciences at Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. Çukurova University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee (AELEC) in Adana, Turkey approved the study. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines were followed for the use of the animals.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (XLSX 24 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Goren, I.E., Gokce Daglioglu, N., Daglioglu, Y.K. et al. Determination of drug distributions in decomposed and buried postmortem tissues and bones of pigs administered of drugs. Forensic Toxicol 38, 129–140 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-019-00497-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-019-00497-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation