US EPA

1039252 

Journal Article 

Detection of amitriptyline, citalopram, and metabolites in porcine bones following extended outdoor decomposition* 

Desrosiers, NA; Watterson, JH; Dean, D; Wyman, JF 

2012 

Yes 

Journal of Forensic Sciences
ISSN: 0022-1198
EISSN: 1556-4029 

57 

2 

544-549 

English 

22150755 

10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01994.x 

Skeletal remains of a domestic pig were assessed for relative distribution of amitriptyline, citalopram, and metabolites. Following acute exposure and outdoor decomposition for 2 years, drugs and metabolites were analyzed in 13 different bones. Bones were pulverized following a simple wash procedure, and drugs were extracted by passive incubation in methanol, followed by solid-phase extraction. Samples were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and confirmed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The Kruskall-Wallis test showed that bone type was a main effect with respect to drug level for all analytes, with levels varying from 33- to 166-fold. Ratios of levels of drug to that of the corresponding metabolite were less variable, varying roughly one- to eightfold. This suggests limitations in the interpretive value of drug measurements in bone and that relative levels of drug and metabolites should be further investigated in terms of forensic value. 

forensic science; toxicology; amitriptyline; citalopram; bone; ultra-performance liquid chromatography