[Estimation of postmortem interval using FTIR spectroscopy in rats' cardiac muscle].
OBJECTIVE
FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy was applied to observe the process of postmortem degradation in rats' cardiac muscle and provided a new method for the estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI).


METHODS
The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the bodies were kept in a controlled environmental chamber set at (20 +/- 2) degrees C. The FTIR spectra was applied to measure the changes of different chemical group from rats' left ventricle muscle at the different time point postmortem.


RESULTS
There were not obvious changes for the main FTIR absorbance peaks. But the different FTIR absorbance at the wave-number (cm(-1)) indicated the three types: increase, decrease, stable. The various absorbance ratios also demonstrated the similar changes.


CONCLUSIONS
FTIR spectroscopy may be potentially used as an effective method for estimating PMI in forensic practice using cardiac muscle tissue.
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Science, Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, PRChina, Shanghai 200063, China.
Ping
P
Huang
Chang-pei
CP
Su
Shi-song
SS
Li
Bo
B
Xing
Ya
Y
Tuo
Qing-yang
QY
Lu
Yong
Y
Ke
Zhen-yuan
ZY
Wang
D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
D005227:Fatty Acids; D009696:Nucleic Acids