Distribution of ethyl glucuronide in rib bone marrow, other tissues and body liquids as proof of alcohol consumption before death

Abstract Postmortem ethyl glucuronide (EtG) concentrations in rib bone marrow, liver, muscle, fat tissue, urine, blood and bile have been determined by LC–MS/MS. Samples have been taken from twelve corpses during autopsies. In nine corpses EtG could be detected, corresponding blood ethanol concentrations (BAC) were 0.04–0.37g%. In three cases, no EtG was found; two of these cases showed postmortem BACs – possibly due to putrefaction – of 0.01 and 0.1g%. In rib bone marrow, which is easily accessible during autopsy, EtG concentrations (0.77–9.36μg/g) have been lower than in blood (2.24–20.46μg/mL) in eight of nine cases and comparable or higher than in muscle tissue. Therefore, rib bone marrow has been found suitable as matrix for EtG determination. The highest EtG concentrations have been found in urine in all but one case, where the resorption of ethanol had been incomplete. Second highest EtG concentrations have been detected in liver samples. In two cases with putrefaction, EtG could not be detected. In these cases, the detectable ethanol might have been produced partially or in total by postmortem fermentation. However, instability of EtG during putrefaction cannot be totally excluded which might result in a total loss of EtG.