THE UTILITY OF VOLATILE HYDROCARBON ANALYSIS IN CASES OF CARBON-MONOXIDE POISONING

A new approach to investigate the circumstances relating to carbon mon oxide intoxication by analysing volatile hydrocarbons in the blood of cadavers is reported. Headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry w as used to demonstrate the hydrocarbons. The results can be characteri zed into four categories depending on the compounds detected. In const ruction fire cases where no accelerants were found at the scene benzen e, toluene and styrene were detected in the blood. In cases where gaso line was found in the fire debris surrounding the victim, high levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers, n-hexane and n-hept ane were detected in the blood. In cases where kerosene was found in t he fire debris around the victim, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xyle ne isomers, C-9-aromatics(n-propylbenzene, trimethylbenzene isomers), n-octane, n-nonane and n-decane were detected in the blood. In cases w here the victim was found inside a gasoline-fuelled automobile filled with exhaust gas, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers, C-9- aromatics were found, but no aliphatic hydrocarbons such as components of petroleum. The analyses of the combustion gases of inflammable mat erials, exhaust gas, gasoline vapours and kerosene vapours were also p erformed to evaluate the results of the blood analyses. Consequently, some compounds are proposed as indicators to discriminate between inha led gases i.e. styrene in common combustion gas, n-hexane and n-heptan e as well as benzene, toluene and C-9-aromatics in gasoline cases, n-n onane and n-octane as well as benzene, toluene and C-9-aromatics in ke rosene cases, and benzene, toluene, C-9-aromatics but no aliphatic hyd rocarbons in exhaust gas cases.