title: Automated determination of carboxyhemoglobin contents in autopsy materials using head-space gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
abstract: To establish a method for the routine analysis of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in autopsy materials including those which have undergone postmortem changes, e.g. thermo-coagulation, putrifaction and contamination, an automated head-space gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis was utilized. The procedure consisted of preparation of the sample in a vial and a carbon monoxide (CO) saturated sample, for estimation of hemoglobin content, in another vial, the addition of n-octanol, potassium ferricyanide and an internal standard (t-butanol), GC separation and determination of CO using a GC/MS system equipped with an automated head-space gas sampler. The method was practical not only with the blood and bone marrow aspirates to confirm the findings on the CO-oximeter system, but also with the thermo-coagulated and putrified blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, 545-8585, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oritani
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimotouge
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: M Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D001344:Autopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry*; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D010092:Oximetry; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin