{
  "abstract": "Cadaver detection dogs (CDDs) are one of the best tools to locate clandestinely buried human remains. However, large data gaps exist in what VOC classes and concentrations are targeted by CDDs for detection. This study compared the alert responses produced by CDDs used by the New South Wales Police Force to responses generated by an electronic nose (named the NOS.E) with metal oxide sensors to a clandestine burial. For confirmatory analysis, VOC samples of the clandestine burial were taken, and compounds were identified using GC × GC-TOFMS. While statistical work was limited due to sample sizes, inferences were made about VOC presence and concentration to NOS.E and detection dog ability. Both CDDs and NOS.E were able to detect targeted chemical classes (sulfur and nitrogen containing compounds, alcohols, alkanes and aldehydes) which was supported by GC × GC-TOFMS. Correlation analyses demonstrated non-significant, but observational patterns that CDDs true positive alerts were associated with higher NOS.E responses to sulfur and nitrogen containing compounds, alcohols and alkanes. Additionally, a “no alert” or “False Positive” alert was associated with lower NOS.E responses. This work supports that it is both the presence and abundance of VOC chemical classes that influence true positive alerts from CDDs to buried human remains.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Centre for Forensic Sciences, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America.",
    "Hyperion Data, Griffith, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "NSW Police Force Canine Unit, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "School of Information Mechanics and Sensing Engineering, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.",
    "School of Mathematical and Physical Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.",
    "Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.",
    "College of Medical Information and AI, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China."
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
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      "name": "Amber O Brown"
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      "name": "Sandali Alahakone"
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    {
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Erin Lamb"
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      "name": "Daniel Pasin",
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        3
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      "name": "Darryl Hawker"
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    {
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        4
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      "name": "Taoping Liu"
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      "name": "Wentian Zhang"
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      "name": "Shari L Forbes"
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    {
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      "name": "Steven Su",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5720-8852"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Maiken Ueland",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9155-3502"
    }
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  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5h2t7ntba9zhp.bib",
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  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0360233",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13686469",
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  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
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  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13686469?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13686469",
  "pmid": "42905671",
  "published": "2026-10-21",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
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  "title": "A case study comparing the detection ability of cadaver detection dogs and electronic nose technology to a clandestine grave",
  "title_text": "A case study comparing the detection ability of cadaver detection dogs and electronic nose technology to a clandestine grave",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:53Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5h2t7ntba9zhp",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
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}