Preliminary investigation of using volatile organic compounds from human expired air, blood and urine for locating entrapped people in earthquakes

A preliminary investigation on the possibility of using volatile organic compounds (VOCs) determination of expired air, blood and urine, for the early location of entrapped people in earthquakes, has been carried out. A group of 15 healthy subjects has been sampled. The identification of a common “c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences, 2005-08, Vol.822 (1), p.112-117
Main Authors: Statheropoulos, M., Sianos, E., Agapiou, A., Georgiadou, A., Pappa, A., Tzamtzis, N., Giotaki, H., Papageorgiou, C., Kolostoumbis, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetone - analysis
Adult
Analysis
Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Blood
Breath Tests - methods
Butadienes - analysis
Disasters
Earthquakes
Entrapped people
Expired air
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
General pharmacology
Hemiterpenes - analysis
Humans
Ketones - analysis
Male
Medical sciences
Organic Chemicals - analysis
Organic Chemicals - blood
Organic Chemicals - urine
Pentanes - analysis
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Rescue Work - methods
Respiration
SPME
Thermal desorption
Urine
VOCs
Volatilization
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Summary:A preliminary investigation on the possibility of using volatile organic compounds (VOCs) determination of expired air, blood and urine, for the early location of entrapped people in earthquakes, has been carried out. A group of 15 healthy subjects has been sampled. The identification of a common “core” of substances might provide indications of human presence that can be used for the development of a real time field analytical method for the on site detection of entrapped people. Expired air samples have been analyzed by thermal desorption GC/MS and VOCs from blood and urine by headspace SPME–GC/MS. Acetone was the only compound found common in all three matrices. Isoprene was found in both expired air and blood samples. Acetone and isoprene along with a number of saturated hydrocarbons were among the major constituents identified in expired air analysis. Various ketones (2-pentanone, 4-heptanone, 2-butanone) were also determined over urine specimens. Using the techniques and methods of field analytical chemistry and technology appears to be the proper approach for applying the results of the present study in real situations.
ISSN:1570-0232
1873-376X
DOI:10.1016/j.jchromb.2005.05.028