CASE REPORT: Clarification of Ethanol-Positive Case Using Urine Serotonin Metabolite Ratio

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Published: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, ISSN 0146-4760, Volume 31, Number 9, November/December, pp.592-595

CASE REPORT: Clarification of Ethanol-Positive Case Using Urine Serotonin Metabolite Ratio
Dennis Canfield[1], J. Brink[2], Robert Johnson[3], Russell Lewis[4], and Kurt Dubowski[1]
[1]Federal Aviation Administration, AAM-610, Research;
[2]Ohio State Highway Patrol, Crime Laboratory;
[3]Federal Aviation Administration, Forensic Toxicology; and
[4]Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, FAA, Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory

This paper intends to provide investigators with information useful in determining the presence of postmortem ethanol in fatal accidents and a case history of an accident that involved postmortem alcohol formation is presented. An ethanol-positive fatal case initially reported as being from ingestion was ultimately determined to be from postmortem ethanol production using the ratio of two serotonin metabolites found in urine. This case involved a transportation accident that could have resulted in additional hardships for the victim’s family through loss of compensation and reputation.

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