Detection and identification of diatoms in tissue samples of drowning victims

Abstract

© 2014, Chiang Mai University. All rights reserved. Forensic diatomology is an important method of gaining supporting evidence in the investigation of drowning cases. In this research, diatom species were detected and identified in the tissues of twelve corpses that were found submerged in water. The diatoms were found in the gastric contents, lungs, duodenum contents, liver, kidney, blood and brains of all twelve of the corpses. Whilst in the tissues of five alternative corpses who died from accidents and diseases as our control cases, diatoms were absent. The species of diatoms, which were found to be dominant, were Cyclotella meneghiniana K tz., Achnanthidium minutissima (K tz.) Czarn., A. saprophilum (H. Kobayasi & Mayama) Round & Bukht, Aulacoseira granulata (Ehrenb.) Simonsen, and Nitzschia palea (K tz.) W.Sm. The dominant species of diatoms present in the water at the scenes were similar to the diatoms species found in the tissue samples of each of the drowning victims. Dominance Identity (DI) and Species Index (SI) values indicated that the sites of the recovery of the corpses were likely to be the drowning sites.