Postmortem Vitreous Sodium and Chloride Elevate After 1 Hour and Magnesium After 2 Hours in Bovine Eyeballs Immersed in Salt Water.

Background: Postmortem vitreous sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) are good ancillary tests in diagnosing salt-water drowning. Vitreous Na and Cl appear to elevate from salt-water drowning and immersion, whereas vitreous magnesium (Mg) appears to be unaffected by drowning, but elevates from immersion. The relative changes of these electrolytes during salt-water immersion are unknown, particularly with shorter immersion times.

Postmortem Vitreous Humor Magnesium Does Not Elevate in Salt Water Drowning When the Immersion Time Is Less Than an Hour.

Background: Elevation in postmortem vitreous humor sodium and chloride (PMVSC) in salt water drowning (SWD) when the immersion time is less than 1 hour (SWD1) is hypothesized to result from electrolyte changes in blood from salt water inhalation/ingestion during drowning. After approximately 1 hour after death, electrolytes may diffuse into the vitreous humor via the eye coverings. Another abundant element in salt water is magnesium, which is approximately 50 times higher in concentration than the blood and vitreous humor magnesium levels.