NCJ Number
246862
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 59 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2014 Pages: 775-778
Date Published
May 2014
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The use of magnesium as a parameter to estimate the time of death is controversial.
Abstract
The use of magnesium as a parameter to estimate the time of death is controversial. In 32 traumatic deaths with known postmortem intervals PMIs, small quantities of vitreous humor VH were sampled repetitively every 3 h until 24 h postmortem. The bodies were kept at the constant ambient temperature of 20 degrees C 68 degrees F. The concentrations of magnesium were in the range of 0.47-1.15 mM. A statistically significant correlation of the concentration of magnesium with the PMI was observed r = 0.453, p < 0.01, but with small predictive valuecoefficient of variation for regression was 45.5%; the average of the paired differences between the estimated and actual PMIs was 5.24 + 3.19 h. Although useful results might be expected due to the large transmembrane gradient for magnesium, the results of this study strongly disprove the usefulness of measuring magnesium in VH to estimate the time of death. Abstract published by arrangement with Wiley.