[Relationship between PMI and fourier transform infrared spectral changes in muscle of rats after death caused by mechanical asphyxial].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the postmortem degradation process in rat myocardium and skeletal muscle using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and to provide a new method for estimating postmortem interval (PMI).


METHODS
Left ventricle and skeletal muscles of rats dying of mechanical asphyxiated were sampled at different PMIs. The changes of different chemical functional group in the myocardium and skeletal muscle samples were measured by FTIR spectroscopy. The different absorbance (A) ratios of peaks were calculated and the curve estimation analysis between absorbance ratios (x) and PMI (y) were performed to establish six mathematical models.


RESULTS
FTIR spectral absorption peak of rat myocardium and skeletal muscle showed three changes: increase, decrease and stable. The cubic model function showed the strongest correlation coefficient. The A1080/A1396 ratio of skeletal muscle showed the strongest correlation coefficient (r = 0.832) with more accurate determination of PMI.


CONCLUSIONS
FYIR spectroscopy can be potentially used as an effective method for estimating PMI in forensic practice using myocardium and skeletal muscle.
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, PR China, Shanghai 200063, China. 11211010057@fudan.edu.cn
Shi-ying
SY
Li
Yu
Y
Shao
Zheng-dong
ZD
Li
Ning-guo
NG
Liu
Dong-hua
DH
Zou
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Qin
Yi-jiu
YJ
Chen
Ping
P
Huang
D000818:Animals; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013997:Time Factors