Analysis of Body Fluids by Head Space-Gas Chromatography (HS-GC) in Illicit Liquor Poisoning

Postmortem, ante mortem blood samples and gastric contents in a case of poisoning by consuming homemade liquor (gudanji) were analyzed to ascertain the volatiles responsible for poisoning. Head Space-Gas Chromatography (HS-GC) highly sensitive technique was used for separation of volatiles and quantitative estimation of ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol. Gas Chromatograph Clarus 500 coupled with Turbo matrix Head space sampler with gases of highest purity from gas generators Ptl were used in the study. Maximum concentration of ethyl alcohol (689.0871mg %) was observed in the gastric content and methyl alcohol (98.7445mg %) in ante mortem blood of subject-2. Attempt was made to identify the volatiles and to compare the chromatogram of volatiles with chromatogram of water extract of empty container recovered by police from the shed where subjects has consumed home made illicit liquor (gundanji)