Papers by Pierre-Hugues Stefanuto
Chromatography, 2015
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European Respiratory Journal, 2015
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Analytical chemistry, Jan 15, 2013
Complex processes of decomposition produce a variety of chemicals as soft tissues, and their comp... more Complex processes of decomposition produce a variety of chemicals as soft tissues, and their component parts are broken down. Among others, these decomposition byproducts include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for the odor of decomposition. Human remains detection (HRD) canines utilize this odor signature to locate human remains during police investigations and recovery missions in the event of a mass disaster. Currently, it is unknown what compounds or combinations of compounds are recognized by the HRD canines. Furthermore, a comprehensive decomposition VOC profile remains elusive. This is likely due to difficulties associated with the nontarget analysis of complex samples. In this study, cadaveric VOCs were collected from the decomposition headspace of pig carcasses and were further analyzed using thermal desorption coupled to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC × GC-TOFMS). Along with an advanced data handling m...
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Chromatography, 2015
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Chemical Bulletin of Kazakh National University, 2013
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Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, 2015
Cadaver-detection dogs use volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to search for human remains includin... more Cadaver-detection dogs use volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to search for human remains including those deposited on or beneath soil. Soil can act as a sink for VOCs, causing loading of decomposition VOCs in the soil following soft tissue decomposition. The objective of this study was to chemically profile decomposition VOCs from surface decomposition sites after remains were removed from their primary location. Pig carcasses were used as human analogues and were deposited on a soil surface to decompose for 3 months. The remains were then removed from each site and VOCs were collected from the soil for 7 months thereafter and analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS). Decomposition VOCs diminished within 6 weeks and hydrocarbons were the most persistent compound class. Decomposition VOCs could still be detected in the soil after 7 months using Principal Component Analysis. This study demonstrated that the decomposition VOC profile, while detectable by GC×GC-TOFMS in the soil, was considerably reduced and altered in composition upon removal of remains. Chemical reference data is provided by this study for future investigations of canine alert behavior in scenarios involving scattered or scavenged remains.
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Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, Jan 25, 2015
In forensic thanato-chemistry, the understanding of the process of soft tissue decomposition is s... more In forensic thanato-chemistry, the understanding of the process of soft tissue decomposition is still limited. A better understanding of the decomposition process and the characterization of the associated volatile organic compounds (VOC) can help to improve the training of victim recovery (VR) canines, which are used to search for trapped victims in natural disasters or to locate corpses during criminal investigations. The complexity of matrices and the dynamic nature of this process require the use of comprehensive analytical methods for investigation. Moreover, the variability of the environment and between individuals creates additional difficulties in terms of normalization. The resolution of the complex mixture of VOCs emitted by a decaying corpse can be improved using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC), compared to classical single-dimensional gas chromatography (1DGC). This study combines the analytical advantages of GC × GC coupled to time-of-flight ...
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Anal. Methods, 2015
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PLoS ONE, 2014
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ChemPlusChem, 2014
ABSTRACT The chemical processes of human cadaver decomposition are complex and not well understoo... more ABSTRACT The chemical processes of human cadaver decomposition are complex and not well understood. The study of decomposition chemistry aims to elucidate the postmortem processes, particularly relating to the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) throughout the various decomposition stages. The use of thermal desorption coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC×GC-TOFMS) has allowed for the VOC profile of decomposition odor above pig carcasses (human analogues) to be determined. An enhanced data-processing approach combining Fisher ratio calculations with principal component analysis assisted in the identification of the major classes of compounds that contribute to the VOC profile and their variation across decomposition stages. Detection and profiling of these VOCs is valuable for understanding the mechanisms by which human-remains detection (HRD) dogs locate victims in mass disasters and forensic investigations.
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Journal of Chromatography A, 2012
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Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2006
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Journal of Separation Science, 2015
Challenges in decomposition odour profiling have led to variation in the documented odour profile... more Challenges in decomposition odour profiling have led to variation in the documented odour profile by different research groups worldwide. Background subtraction and use of controls are important considerations given the variation introduced by decomposition studies conducted in different geographical environments. The collection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from soil beneath decomposing remains is challenging due to the high levels of inherent soil VOCs, further confounded by the use of highly sensitive instrumentation. This study presents a method that provides suitable chromatographic resolution for profiling decomposition odour in soil by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry using appropriate controls and field blanks. Logarithmic transformation and t-testing of compounds permitted the generation of a compound list of decomposition VOCs in soil. Principal component analysis demonstrated the improved discrimination between experimental and control soil, verifying the value of the data handling method. Data handling procedures have not been well documented in this field and standardisation would thereby reduce misidentification of VOCs present in the surrounding environment as decomposition byproducts. Uniformity of data handling and instrumental procedures will reduce analytical variation, increasing confidence in the future when investigating the effect of taphonomic variables on the decomposition VOC profile.
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Papers by Pierre-Hugues Stefanuto