Gas chromatographic determination for forensic purposes of petroleum fuel inhaled just before fatal burning.

The determination of petroleum fuel in the blood of burned bodies was carried out by three different gas chromatographic procedures. Seven components of gasoline (isopentane, n-pentane, 2-methylpentane, benzene, 2-methylhexane, 3-methylhexane and toluene) and five of kerosene (xylene, C9H20, mesitylene, pseudocumene and C11H24) were chosen as indicators with a coefficient of variation of 5-24%. The methods were applied to four autopsy cases with a relatively low carboxyhaemoglobin (HbCO) content. When gasoline exposure had occurred, the blood concentrations determined were almost identical whatever the components selected. Great variations in the components determined were found after kerosene exposure, and hydrocarbons greater than or equal to C14 were hardly inhaled by the victims. A higher content of fuel in the left than in the right ventricular blood observed in the autopsy cases suggests fuel inhalation just before death. The same phenomenon was also observed in the content of blood HbCO. Determinations of petroleum fuel and HbCO in both the right and left ventricular blood would be useful for the forensic diagnosis on burned bodies with a low HbCO content.