Assessment of alcohol odor intensity as an indicator of ethanol concentration in cadavers without signs of decomposition: a correlational analysis

Aim of the study. To evaluate the reliability of assessing characteristic odor intensity, specifically alcohol, during forensic medical examinations of cadavers without signs of decomposition.

Materials and methods. A total of 43 cadavers of various ages and sexes were examined at the Department of Forensic Medical Examination of the State Specialized Institution “Kharkiv Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination” between December 2024 and March 2025. Inclusion criteria: the presence of a perceptible alcohol odor, the absence of putrefactive changes, and a detectable concentration of ethyl alcohol in the blood or urine confirmed by gas chromatography. A preliminary blind test involving 12 participants was conducted to validate the observers’ ability to recognize odors from alcoholic beverages of different concentrations. During autopsy, an empirical conditional scale (ranging from 0 ‰ to 5 ‰) was utilized to quantify odor intensity. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and included Pearson (r) and Spearman (ρ) correlation coefficients, with significance testing performed using the χ2 test and p-values (p < 0.05). The null hypothesis assumed no significant correlation between objective ethanol concentration and perceived odor intensity.

Results. In the overall sample, a weak positive correlation was identified between odor intensity and blood alcohol concentration (r = 0.195, ρ = 0.215). Subgroup analysis based on odor localization revealed correlations ranging from moderate negative (abdominal cavity) to moderate positive (thoracic cavity, cranial cavity, and combined localizations). Analysis of urine ethanol levels showed a consistent pattern: a weak positive correlation in the general cohort and moderate positive or negative correlations depending on the site of odor assessment. Statistically significant results (p < 0.05) were predominantly observed in larger subgroups.

Conclusions. The identified correlations suggest that alcohol odor intensity serves only as a subjective and approximate indicator. It cannot replace the quantitative laboratory determination of ethanol in biological fluids due to the significant number of confounding factors influencing olfactory perception. These findings underscore the necessity for further research to determine the standardized value of olfactory evaluation in forensic practice.