Significance of Diatoms in Diagnosis of Drowning
Deaths: A Review
Volume 1 - Issue 5
Ajay Rana1*, Sakshi Manhas2
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- 1Biology & Serology Division, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Northern Range Dharamshala, India
- 2University Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Chandigarh University, India
*Corresponding author:
Ajay Rana, Biology & Serology Division, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Northern Range,
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India
Received: July 05, 2018; Published: July 12, 2018
DOI: 10.32474/PRJFGS.2018.01.000121
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Abstract
Diatom test is an important tool in diagnosis death in drowning cases. As the typical features of ante-mortem drowning
disappeared very rapidly with commencement of putrefaction and hence diatom test plays an important role for diagnosis and
confirmation of drowning deaths. Diatoms have number of characteristic like their widespread presence in water, high diversity in
species, habitat specificity and have a good potential for preservation and thus this group can be used in forensic geosciences for
criminal investigations. Extraction and identification of diatoms present in the tissue samples can be used as supportive evidence in
drowning and also for site specific diatoms. Temperature and pH variations also play important role in the distribution of diatoms
in a particular location. Diatoms species detection in both water and tissue samples gave a reliability of the diatom test in solving
cases pertaining to drowning deaths. Hence the possible means and methods must be practiced on a regular basis by the forensic
examiner as well practitioners so that new possibilities must always be explored for extraction and identification of diatoms in near
future. This paper reviews the recent year’s progress on diatom test and its application in forensic science.
Keywords: Diatoms;Drowning; Postmortem; Tissues; Acid digestion; Microscopical examinations
Abstract|
Introduction|
Brief History of Diatom Test|
Importance of Diatom Test and its Limitations in
Forensic Science|
Conclusion and Summary|
References|