Preliminary quantitative investigation of postmortem adipocere formation

The accurate determination of postmortem interval (PMI) using the formation of adipocere presents a significant challenge to forensic scientists inter ested in determining the time of death. Several attempts have been made to determine the time since the occurrence of death. However, up to date, this has been difficult because previous approaches have been mainly qualitativ e, focusing on the later stages of degradation processes. This work present s preliminary results of an experimental model of postmortem adipocere form ation using liquid chromatography. Three pig cadavers were submerged in dis tilled water, chlorinated water, and saline water. Fresh specimens resultin g from the degradation in the subcutaneous fat were obtained from the pigs at two-week intervals for a period of ten weeks, and were subjected to chro matographic analysis. By correlating the ratio of the disappearance of hydr olyzed fatty acids with the formation of hydroxystearic and oxostearic acid s after death, a simple, quantitative analytical method was developed for t he determination of PMI. Experimental observation of the chemistry of adipo cere formation indicated that adipocere can be formed only a few hours afte r an incidence of death and this continues until the saturation of oleic ac id degradation after several weeks. Different time courses were obtained fo r cadavers immersed in distilled, chlorinated, and saline water, respective ly. This work has not in any way solved the time since death problem. But i t may be an approach to the problem that has not been adequately explored.