putrefaction

1. Decomposition of organic matter, especially protein, by microorganisms, resulting in production of foul-smelling matter.
2. Putrefied matter.
3. The condition of being putrefied.

[Middle English putrefaccioun, from Late Latin putrefactiō, putrefactiōn-, from putrefactus, past participle of Latin putrefacere, to make rotten. See putrefy.]

noun

The condition of being decayed: breakdown, decay, decomposition, deterioration, disintegration, putrescence, putridness, rot, rottenness, spoilage. See better/worse, thrive/fail/exist.

The rotting of matter through the use of enzymes, producing substances such as ammonia, mercaptans, and hydrogen sulfide.

Enzymatic decomposition, especially of proteins, with the production of foul-smelling compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and mercaptans. Called also decomposition.

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Putrefaction is the decomposition of animal proteins, especially by anaerobic microorganisms, described as putrefying bacteria. Decomposition is a more general process. Putrefaction usually results in amines such as putrescine and cadaverine, which have a putrid odor. Material that is subject to putrefaction is called putrescible.

In alchemy, putrefaction is the same as fermentation, basically meaning to allow the substance to rot or decompose, sometimes with a small sample of the desired original pure material to act as a "seed".

Brief description of putrefaction of a human body with respect to time of death

• 2–3 days: Staining begins on the abdomen. The body begins to swell, owing to gas formation.
• 3–4 days: The staining spreads and veins become discolored.
• 5–6 days: The abdomen swells with gas (produced by the bacteria that decompose the body), and the skin blisters.
• 2 weeks: The abdomen becomes very tight and swollen.
• 3 weeks: Tissues begin to soften. Organs and cavities are bursting. The nails fall off.
• 4 weeks: Soft tissues begin to liquefy, and the face becomes unrecognizable.

The exact rate of putrefaction is dependent upon many factors, such as weather, exposure, and location. Thus things like refrigeration at a morgue or funeral home can retard the process, allowing for burial in three days or so following death without embalming.

The University of Tennessee's Forensic Anthropology Facility is a body farm made in 1981 to study human putrefaction. Several others have been built since.

See also

• Maceration
• Rancidification

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - forrådnelse

Nederlands (Dutch)
verrotting

Deutsch (German)
n. - Zersetzung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αποσύνθεση, σήψη

Italiano (Italian)
putrefazione

Português (Portuguese)
n. - putrefação (f)

Русский (Russian)
гниение, разложение

Español (Spanish)
n. - putrefacción

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - förruttnelse, röta, ruttenhet

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
腐败, 腐败物

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 腐敗, 腐敗物

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 부패(작용), 부패물

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 腐敗, 腐敗物

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تعفن, فساد‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮ריקבון, רקבובית, הפרשת מוגלה‬

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