The smell of death. State-of-the-art and future research directions
Year: 2023
Type: review
Abstract: The decomposition of a body is inseparably associated with the release of several types of odors. This phenomenon has been used in the training of sniffer dogs for decades. The odor profile associated with decomposition consists of a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemical composition of which varies over time, temperature, environmental conditions, and the type of microorganisms, and insects colonizing the carcass. Mercaptans are responsible for the bad smell associated with corpses; however, there are no unified recommendations for conducting forensic analysis based on the detectable odor of revealed corpses and previous research on VOCs shows differing results. The aim of this review is to systematize the current knowledge on the type of volatile organic compounds related to the decomposition process, depending on a few variables. This knowledge will improve the methods of VOCs detection and analysis to be used in modern forensic diagnostics and improve the methods of training dogs for forensic applications.
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology
Authors: Julia Cieśla, Julia Skrobisz, Bartosz Niciński, Magdalena Kloc, Katarzyna Mazur, Artur Pałasz, Gulnaz T. Javan, Marcin Tomsia
Institutions: Medical University of Silesia, Alabama State University
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,295
OpenAlex ID: W4386731725