A Simple Method for Estimating the Time Of Death by Measurement of the Potassium Ion Recovered from Vitreous Humor by Ion-Exchange Chromatography and Determined Quantitatively by Acid-Base Titration

Abstract

It is well known that potassium ion concentration in vitreous humor increases gradually and linearly with Time After Death – TOD. [1] [2]. That is why vitreous humor has been used for several decades for postmortem biochemical investigations and for the estimation of the Time Of Death or Time Since Death. To determine quantitatively the concentration of potassium ions in the vitreous humor we will utilize a simple, well know, and accurate technique: ion exchange chromatography coupled with acid-base titration. Since ion exchange chromatography is a well-tested technique to recover ions quantitatively, we are sure it can produce, in a simple way, quantitative results with the same accuracy as the other used methods.