Inter-year repeatability study of volatile organic compounds from surface decomposition of human analogues

Decomposition odour and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have gained considerable attention recently due to their use by insects and scent detection canines to locate remains. However, a comprehensive and accurate profile of decomposition odour is yet to be confirmed. This is, in part, due to the geographical diversity in the studies conducted and the variation in the methodology and compounds being reported. To date, no repeatability studies of decomposition odour have been conducted in the same environment. In order to address this current gap in the scientific literature, this study conducted three replicate trials in order to evaluate the inter-year repeatability of the decomposition VOC profile in a southern Canadian environment. Surface decomposition trials were conducted during the spring and summer months and the VOCs were analysed by thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD–GC–MS). This study was able to demonstrate that decomposition VOCs are produced consistently during their characteristic stages and that this relationship is maintained under varying environmental factors which influence the rate of decomposition. This consistent production of decomposition VOCs can lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of soft tissue decomposition and their sources of variation, and it could potentially lead to improved applications of these compounds for the detection of decomposed remains.