Analysis of the volatile organic compounds in grave soil using solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS)
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Kyarra Lynn Beck (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Nuwan Perera
Abstract: Locating and recovering bodies that are buried in clandestine graves is a challenging task and may provide significant information about the deceased in a forensic investigation. Currently, human remains detection (HRD) dogs are the most commonly used method to find human remains. There have been very few human decomposition studies conducted due to the lack of human decomposition research facilities and the ethical and legal restrictions regarding the use of human bodies in human decomposition studies. Many HRD dogs are trained using synthetic training aids commonly known as pseudo scents due to the restrictions and costs surrounding true human remains. The focus of this research is to generate human decomposition odor profiles in Western Carolina University’s Forensic Osteology Research Station (FOREST) facility by determining the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in grave soil, soil surrounding decomposing human bodies. Volatile compounds in grave soil are analyzed at different stages of decomposition and at different weather conditions to determine how the VOC profiles are changed. This data will also be used to assess the chemical composition of training aids and to develop better training aids. This research is conducted using solid phase microextraction (SPME) to pre-concentrate the VOCs before analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Soil is collected around decomposing bodies in different stages of decomposition from WCUs FOREST facility and exposed to a divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber to pre-concentrate VOCs. After exposure, the fiber is injected into the GC-MS for analysis. Over 200 compounds were identified during this research and over 90 of those compounds have been reported in previous decomposition studies. The results of this research depend on many factors such as weather, donor, location of the donors in the FOREST facility, and stage of decomposition. Analysis of synthetic training aids showed few compounds were present. More research will be conducted in the future using different fibers and methods to increase the data available.
Analysis of the volatile organic compounds in grave soil using solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS)
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Created on 3/1/2024
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2024
- Subjects
- Cemeteries
- Soils—Analysis
- Gas chromatography
- Mass spectrometry
- Volatile organic compounds