title: Gas chromatographic procedures for determination of ethanol in postmortem blood using t-butanol and methyl ethyl ketone as internal standards.
abstract: Three gas chromatographic procedures for the determination of ethanol in postmortem blood using alternative internal standards to n-propanol are presented: a direct injection procedure using t-butanol, and two headspace methods using t-butanol and methyl ethyl ketone. t-Butanol and methyl ethyl ketone were well resolved from ethanol, acetone, methanol and other commonly observed putrefactive volatiles using direct injection or headspace analysis. CVs for the direct injection method were below 5% for ethanol and below 10% for the other volatiles. The lower limits of detection (LOD) were 25-50 mg/L. The CVs for the headspace methods were below 5% for ethanol and below 6% for the other volatiles. The LODs were 10 mg/L using either t-butanol or methyl ethyl ketone as internal standards. The use of t-butanol or methyl ethyl ketone as alternatives to n-propanol avoids the possibility of error in the quantitation of ethanol due to the presence of n-propanol and allows for the identification of other volatiles that may aid in distinguishing antemortem ingestion from postmortem production of ethanol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0165, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: O'Neal
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunsman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poklis
mesh_terms: D000440:Butanols; D002074:Butanones; D002273:Carcinogens; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D020002:tert-Butyl Alcohol
chemical_list: D000440:Butanols; D002074:Butanones; D002273:Carcinogens; D000431:Ethanol; C005222:methylethyl ketone; D020002:tert-Butyl Alcohol