During decomposition, human remains release naturally produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are specific to the process of decay. These VOCs can act as markers that indicate remains are present [1] and presumably can be used to indicate whether or not remains were once present in a given location, thus making them a potentially viable avenue for investigators to pursue when trying novel techniques for locating remains. For this study, soil samples were taken from an approximate center of mass from 32 known cadaveric decomposition islands (CDIs) at the Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST) in Marquette, MI, and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) headspace analysis. This study attempts to validate a minimally invasive soil sampling method for determining where a body is or was allowed to decompose. It was found that none of the CDIs in the samples contained decomposition VOCs, which is attributable three potential factors: volatilization of the VOCs before analysis, new vegetation growth and/or microbial activity, or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis is not sensitive enough.
","abstract_html":"<p>During decomposition, human remains release naturally produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are specific to the process of decay. These VOCs can act as markers that indicate remains are present [1] and presumably can be used to indicate whether or not remains were once present in a given location, thus making them a potentially viable avenue for investigators to pursue when trying novel techniques for locating remains. For this study, soil samples were taken from an approximate center of mass from 32 known cadaveric decomposition islands (CDIs) at the Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST) in Marquette, MI, and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) headspace analysis. This study attempts to validate a minimally invasive soil sampling method for determining where a body is or was allowed to decompose. It was found that none of the CDIs in the samples contained decomposition VOCs, which is attributable three potential factors: volatilization of the VOCs before analysis, new vegetation growth and/or microbial activity, or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis is not sensitive enough.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["struble, savannah m"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Interdisciplinary","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Jane Harris"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-07-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-07-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:24:36Z","subjects":["Volatile organic compound","human decomposition","detection of remains","gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis","Life Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/853","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Jane Harris"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["struble, savannah m"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-07-10T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Interdisciplinary"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Volatile organic compound","human decomposition","detection of remains","gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis","Life Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/853"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["During decomposition, human remains release naturally produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are specific to the process of decay. These VOCs can act as markers that indicate remains are present [1] and presumably can be used to indicate whether or not remains were once present in a given location, thus making them a potentially viable avenue for investigators to pursue when trying novel techniques for locating remains. For this study, soil samples were taken from an approximate center of mass from 32 known cadaveric decomposition islands (CDIs) at the Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST) in Marquette, MI, and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) headspace analysis. This study attempts to validate a minimally invasive soil sampling method for determining where a body is or was allowed to decompose. It was found that none of the CDIs in the samples contained decomposition VOCs, which is attributable three potential factors: volatilization of the VOCs before analysis, new vegetation growth and/or microbial activity, or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis is not sensitive enough.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["EXAMINATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN DECOMPOSITION BYPRODUCTS IN SOIL"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Jane Harris"],"dc:creator":["struble, savannah m"],"dc:date.available":["2024-07-10T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["During decomposition, human remains release naturally produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are specific to the process of decay. These VOCs can act as markers that indicate remains are present [1] and presumably can be used to indicate whether or not remains were once present in a given location, thus making them a potentially viable avenue for investigators to pursue when trying novel techniques for locating remains. For this study, soil samples were taken from an approximate center of mass from 32 known cadaveric decomposition islands (CDIs) at the Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST) in Marquette, MI, and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) headspace analysis. This study attempts to validate a minimally invasive soil sampling method for determining where a body is or was allowed to decompose. It was found that none of the CDIs in the samples contained decomposition VOCs, which is attributable three potential factors: volatilization of the VOCs before analysis, new vegetation growth and/or microbial activity, or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis is not sensitive enough.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/853"],"dc:subject":["Volatile organic compound","human decomposition","detection of remains","gas chromatography-mass spectrometry headspace analysis","Life Sciences"],"dc:title":["EXAMINATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN DECOMPOSITION BYPRODUCTS IN SOIL"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Interdisciplinary"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:24:36Z"}