title: The influence of body position and microclimate on ketamine and metabolite distribution in decomposed skeletal remains.
abstract: The influence of body position and microclimate on ketamine (KET) and metabolite distribution in decomposed bone tissue was examined. Rats received 75 mg/kg (i.p.) KET (n = 30) or remained drug-free (controls, n = 4). Following euthanasia, rats were divided into two groups and placed outdoors to decompose in one of the three positions: supine (SUP), prone (PRO) or upright (UPR). One group decomposed in a shaded, wooded microclimate (Site 1) while the other decomposed in an exposed sunlit microclimate with gravel substrate (Site 2), roughly 500 m from Site 1. Following decomposition, bones (lumbar vertebrae, thoracic vertebra, cervical vertebrae, rib, pelvis, femora, tibiae, humeri and scapulae) were collected and sorted for analysis. Clean, ground bones underwent microwave-assisted extraction using acetone : hexane mixture (1 : 1, v/v), followed by solid-phase extraction and analysis using GC-MS. Drug levels, expressed as mass normalized response ratios, were compared across all bone types between body position and microclimates. Bone type was a main effect (P < 0.05) for drug level and drug/metabolite level ratio for all body positions and microclimates examined. Microclimate and body position significantly influenced observed drug levels: higher levels were observed in carcasses decomposing in direct sunlight, where reduced entomological activity led to slowed decomposition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3E 2C6.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cornthwaite
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3E 2C6 Department of Forensic Science, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3E 2C6 jwatterson@laurentian.ca.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Watterson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007649:Ketamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D008834:Microclimate; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011187:Posture; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction
chemical_list: D007649:Ketamine; C033419:norketamine