Misidentification of ethyl chloride in the routine GC-FID analysis for alcohol

Tarnovski, Georgi; Hayashi, Takeshi; Igarashi, Kazuo; Ochi, Hiroshi; Matoba, Ryoji

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.02.008

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…Occasionally, the gel separator can be the source of some chemical contamination, especially in the past due to the solvents used for the manufacturing of the rubber stoppers (unidentified substance) and gel separator of serum tubes (toluene, 1-butanol, ethylbenzene and xylene) (73)(74)(75). This was also found in whole blood sodium fluoride/oxalate (NaF/Ox) tubes containing traces of isobutylene (76). However, none of the above compound interferes with the spectrophotometric enzymatic assay of BAC.…”

Section: Sample Containermentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood alcohol concentration in the clinical laboratory: a narrative review of the preanalytical phase in diagnostic and forensic testing

Ialongo

2023

Biochem. med. (Online)

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The analysis of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), a pivotal toxicological test, concerns acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) and driving under the influence (DUI). As such, BAC presents an organizational challenge for clinical laboratories, with unique complexities due to the need for forensic defensibility as part of the diagnostic process. Unfortunately, a significant number of scientific investigations dealing with the subject present discrepancies that make it difficult to identify optimal practices in sample collection, transportation, handling, and preparation. This review provides a systematic analysis of the preanalytical phase of BAC that aims to identify and explain the chemical, physiological, and pharmacological mechanisms underlying controllable operational factors. Nevertheless, it seeks evidence for the necessity to separate preanalytical processes for diagnostic and forensic BAC testing. In this regard, the main finding of this review is that no literature evidence supports the necessity to differentiate preanalytical procedures for AAI and DUI, except for the traceability throughout the chain of custody. In fact, adhering to correct preanalytical procedures provided by official bodies such as European federation of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine for routine phlebotomy ensures both diagnostic accuracy and forensic defensibility of BAC. This is shown to depend on the capability of modern pre-evacuated sterile collection tubes to control major factors influencing BAC, namely non-enzymatic oxidation and microbial contamination. While certain restrictions become obsolete with such devices, as the use of sodium fluoride (NaF) for specific preservation of forensic BAC, this review reinforces the recommendation to use non-alcoholic disinfectants as a means to achieve “error-proof” procedures in challenging operational environments like the emergency department.

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Section: Sample Containermentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood alcohol concentration in the clinical laboratory: a narrative review of the preanalytical phase in diagnostic and forensic testing

Ialongo

2023

Biochem. med. (Online)

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“…The possible existence of two compounds with similar retention times in a sample presents the possibility of compound misidentification when a single retention time is used to identify a compound. For example, misidentification of ethyl chloride as ethanol has been reported in forensic blood samples analyzed using headspace gas chromatography with a single column [50,51]. Blood collected for methanol analysis in BCTs with gray conventional rubber stoppers could contain both isobutylene and methanol.…”

Section: F I G U R Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Isobutylene contamination of blood collected in 10‐ml evacuated blood collection tubes with gray conventional rubber stoppers

Kosecki

Autret²,

Abbott

et al. 2021

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Dual-column headspace gas chromatographic analysis with two flame-ionization detectors is a commonly used analytical technique for forensic blood ethanol quantitation. This technique is also applicable to the identification and quantitation of other volatile organic compounds such as methanol in biological samples. Compound identification by retention time is limited to those compounds with known retention times programmed into the instrument method. Historically, an early-eluting peak from an unidentified compound has been observed in both chromatograms from antemortem blood samples analyzed for ethanol concentration with this technique. The unidentified compound's retention time matches that of methanol on one column but not on the second column. This previously unidentified compound has been identified as isobutylene. The proposed source of the isobutylene contamination historically observed in antemortem blood samples collected in 10-ml graytop blood collection tubes is the conventional rubber stopper. Isobutylene was detected in deionized water stored in each of the seven lots of 10-ml blood tubes tested; the expiration dates of the tubes tested spanned the years 2002-2022. Misidentification of isobutylene as methanol is possible when using a single-column gas chromatographic system. The presence of isobutylene in blood collected in a gray-top collection tube does not represent laboratory contamination, is not an interferent with blood ethanol quantitation, and does not affect the ethanol concentration in the blood. A 0.150 g/dl aqueous ethanol standard was stored in a gray-top tube to evaluate the potential impact of isobutylene on ethanol quantitation. The solution's average ethanol concentration measured after storage was 0.150 g/dl.

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“…404 The possible misidentification of ethanol by coelution of ethyl chloride by GC/FID has been discussed. 405 A method for quantitative analysis of acetylene in blood and urine samples was investigated using cryogenic headspace GC/MS. 406 Azide in human blood and plasma samples was derivatized with propionic anhydride and determined by GC/nitrogenÀphosphorus detection (GC/NPD).…”

Section: ' Forensic Dna Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Blood toluene concentrations in drivers under the influence have been reported . The possible misidentification of ethanol by coelution of ethyl chloride by GC/FID has been discussed . A method for quantitative analysis of acetylene in blood and urine samples was investigated using cryogenic headspace GC/MS .…”

Section: Drugs and Poisonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forensic Science

2011

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Analytical ChemistryREVIEW worth noting that conference proceedings are available online for important meetings in this field including the International Symposium on Human Identification (aka the "Promega meeting") (http://www.promega.com/geneticidproc/) and the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) (http://www. isfg.org) meetings. Volume 13 of Progress in Forensic Genetics, which contains the proceedings of the ISFG meeting held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September 2009, includes 250 brief articles covering current research on all aspects of forensic DNA typing. 2 Short tandem repeat (STR) typing of autosomal markers with fluorescence-based detection is now almost universally used in forensic DNA laboratories worldwide. 3 Reduced-size STR, or miniSTR, assays are being developed for improved recovery of information from badly damaged DNA templates. Low level DNA and samples containing mixtures continue to present challenges for forensic analysts. A large portion of the literature involves reporting STR allele frequencies from various populations. However, limited space in this review prevents a summary or description of the many population studies performed in 2009 and 2010.Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) continue to be explored as potential supplements to STR markers already in use but will probably not replace STRs in the near future. Information on uniparental lineage markers from the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA continues to accumulate in the literature. These lineage markers are also widely used for human evolutionary studies and genetic genealogy. The availability of commercial kits for Y-STR amplification has enabled more widespread usage of these important male-specific markers in forensic DNA laboratories. A number of X-chromosome STRs are also being investigated. Nonhuman DNA plays a useful role in many forensic investigations. Tests have been developed for plant and animal DNA testing to associate victims or suspects to crime scenes.National DNA databases collectively house millions of STR profiles around the world. With the demonstrated success of linking previous offenders to unsolved crimes they have committed, new legislation is expanding the number of samples that will be going into DNA databases of the future. In December 2010, the United States exceeded 9.5 million DNA profiles in the National DNA Index System of the FBI Laboratory's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The United Kingdom has over four million STR profiles in their national DNA database, which represents a significant portion of their active criminal population.Automation of laboratory techniques and data interpretation with expert systems has become increasingly important with the large numbers of DNA samples that need to be examined. Forensic DNA testing also aids missing persons investigations and identification of mass disaster victims albeit with some extra issues unique to kinship and parentage analysis. At the end of the forensic DNA analysis section, we also list relevant papers on interpretat...

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Misidentification of ethyl chloride in the routine GC-FID analysis for alcohol

Cited by 5 publications

References 6 publications

Blood alcohol concentration in the clinical laboratory: a narrative review of the preanalytical phase in diagnostic and forensic testing

Blood alcohol concentration in the clinical laboratory: a narrative review of the preanalytical phase in diagnostic and forensic testing

Isobutylene contamination of blood collected in 10‐ml evacuated blood collection tubes with gray conventional rubber stoppers

Forensic Science

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