Hiroshima Journal of Medical Sciences Volume 33 Issue 4
published_at 1984-12

Postmortem Formation of Carbon Monoxide in Blood and Body Cavity Fluids of Rats Drowned and Kept Immersed in Fresh Water

淡水に溺没させたラットの血液及び体液中における一酸化炭素の死後産生
Kojima Tohru
Yashiki Mikio
Okamoto Ikuyo
Noda Junko
Une Itsuko
Miyazaki Tetsuji
Chikasue Fumihiko
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Abstract
Rats were drowned in fresh water collected from a river, and kept immersed in the water for four weeks in separate bottles. When five rats were placed outside in the shade, where the temperature varied from 1 to 9°C, carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) saturations in the blood and thoracic cavity fluid were not more than 1% and 10% respectively. When fifteen rats were immersed at 8-9°C, HbCO saturations in the body cavity fluids were more than 20 % in six. HbCO saturations in the blood, however, were not more than 10 % in all cases.

The results indicate that low carbon monoxide (CO) levels are produced in the blood and high CO levels are formed in the body cavity fluid, and that body cavity fluid should not be used for CO determination.
Descriptions
This study was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research No. 58480205 from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan.
Keywords
Postmortem change
Carbon monoxide
Carboxyhemoglobin
Gas chromatography