https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ed036pA110.1

Spot tests in inorganic analysis

https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/21/3/419.2.full.pdf

Gradwohl's legal medicine

Diatomological mapping of water bodies for the diagnosis of drowning cases

Diagnosis of drowning is one of the most difficult issues in forensic practice. A number of methods have been developed over the years to determine whether a person was drowned. Microwave Digestion—Vacuum Filtration-Automated Scanning Electron Microscopy (MD-VF-Auto SEM) method we developed is a new qualitative and quantitative method of diatom test for diagnosis of drowning. The new method is based on microwave digestion technique, vacuum filtration, and automated SEM, which would achieve a maximal recovery of diatoms and identify diatoms easily by SEM with high resolution. This study was designed to evaluate the sensitivity of this method, the recovery of diatom, and loss ratio of centrifugation, which were compared using the MD-VF-Auto SEM method and the conventional acid digestion method. Two groups of samples were designed in the study. Groups A (n = 20) and B (n = 20) were performed by MD-VF-Auto SEM method and the conventional acid digestion method, respectively. In addition, another eight water samples were centrifuged, and the diatoms in the supernatant and precipitate were counted and measured, respectively, in order to find out how many diatoms were lost after centrifugation. The difference between the two groups was statistically highly significant, and about 34 % of diatoms were lost after centrifugation at 4,000 rpm for 15 min. The results showed that the MD-VF-Auto SEM method was more sensitive and specific.

Microwave Digestion—Vacuum Filtration-Automated Scanning Electron Microscopy as a sensitive method for forensic diatom test

Diversity of an aerial phototrophic coating of historic buildings in the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp.

Detection of diatoms in tissues has been applied as an important sign of drowning since the beginning of 20th century and utility of diatoms for the diagnosis of drownings cases was debated soon after they were first found in lung exudates. Hard bones (sternum and femur) and soft tissues (lungs and liver etc) of drowned bodies are usually sent to the Forensic Science Laboratories for the detection of diatom. Dissolution of these samples is not very difficult but complete extraction of diatoms frustules from these samples needs great care, attention and expertise. While solving drowning cases, a correlation between the diatoms extracted from these tissue samples and the samples obtained from putative drowning medium has to be established for the successful determination of drowning site. Therefore, it needs proper method for extraction of diatoms from tissues and water samples to avoid even minor contamination. In the present study, literature related with various extraction methods of diatoms from postmortem and water samples has been reviewed.

Extraction methods of diatoms-a review

Diatomological mapping of water bodies--a future perspective.

In suspected drowning cases forensic pathologists are often asked whether the drowning was anti-mortem or post-mortem, and along with this an equally important question to be answered here is that if the death really took place at the same site from where the body was recovered. Here question arises about the exact site of drowning and in forensic investigations; it imparts necessity for the precise localization of site of drowning. The proposed study deals with the algological analysis that, in turn has recorded diatom type in three water bodies of Jaipur (Rajasthan) region. On the basis of this database, diatomological maps have been designed, which are supposed to be of immense help in diagnosis of suspected drowning cases occurring in this region.

Diatomological studies from three water bodies of jaipur

Chemical spot tests are one of the oldest and simplest presumptive methods of analytical chemistry. They are an integral part of the schematic analysis of different types of substances in various pure and applied scientific disciplines including forensic science. The role of spot tests has remained eternal utility in different branches of forensic science to analyze various types of physical or trace evidences. Forensic experts need to have an absolute understanding of the foundation and technicality behind complex reactions of customary spot tests. Forensic science literature dwells in the diversity of spot tests but an informative and comprehensive compendium of such prose remains occasional and limited in general. Keeping in view the ample history and legacy of spot test, the current review was constructed from a core of historical literature to recapitulate trending applications, chemistry, and limitations of notable "Griess test", "Luminol test", "Kastle-Meyer test", "Phenolphthalein test", "Ninhydrin test", and "Spy dust" in forensic science. The aim of this review article was to describe the outlook and likely impact of these tests on the expansion of scientific investigation. The anticipated output of this review is supposed to impart compatible knowledge in the attentive readers interested in understanding legacy and technical details of selected spot tests used in solving crime.

Narration and Legacy of Important Chemical Spot Tests in Forensic Investigation.

Snake-bite is a well-known but fairly ignored medical problem in India. Lack of precise first aid knowledge for snake-bite is a substantial reason for its severe fatality in human beings. The present study is comprised of a pilot survey that assesses and evaluates the knowledge of people of different occupations (teachers, students, farmers, medical residents, and miscellaneous) about snakes and snake-bite management. The pilot survey was conducted through a well-structured open-ended questionnaire about experiences with snakes and snake-bites and first aid measures for accidental snake-bites. Proper knowledge of snakes and snake-bite management was either diminutive or absent in the majority of the subjects, especially amongst teachers. Even the medical professionals were not well acquainted with knowledge about snakes and snake-bite management. Only 13% knew about 'big four', 18% knew 'dry bite', and 21% of subjects knew about anti-snake venom (ASV) used in India. 39% of subjects knew about the whereabouts of traditional healer. Only 12% of subjects, mostly medical residents, knew of any bedside test for diagnosis of snake-bite, and 11% of respondents also knew of LD50 of Indian cobra. A well-timed first aid treatment is always decisive in the management of life-threatening snake-bite cases but the present survey has found that most of the study groups had inadequate and little misleading fundamental knowledge comprising regional snakes, first aid measures for accidental snake-bite, and welfare schemes for snake-bite victims. Therefore, the present study proposes to conduct more such appraisals and strengthening of education curricula on snake-bite that would surely inculcate an adequate level of primary skill in ignorant societies.

Rajvinder Singh

Papers

Extraction methods of diatoms-a review

Diatomological mapping of water bodies--a future perspective.

Diatomological studies from three water bodies of jaipur

Narration and Legacy of Important Chemical Spot Tests in Forensic Investigation.

First-hand knowledge about snakes and snake-bite management: an urgent need.