Detection and identification of gasoline in tissues by capillary GC using pattern recognition techniques.

Blood, brain, lung, and gastric contents of a drowning victim recovered from an automobile in which there was a strong odor of gasoline were examined for the presence of gasoline. Heated headspace, capillary column gas chromatography (GC) was employed for the analysis of the samples with simple pattern recognition being used to complete the determination. A mathematical discussion of the probability of artifact components or other organic compounds in the samples causing results which could falsely appear to be gasoline is discussed.