Diatoms: A Review on its Forensic Significance

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Ashwathi Vijayan
Akhilesh Kallumpurat
L. Gloria Christal

Abstract

Diatoms also called as the ‘jewels of sea’ are microorganisms which are extensively found in the aquatic system. These unicellular organisms make up nearly half of the biological material in the water body. It is also one of the most significant biological evidence that is obtained in case of drowning. The diatoms that infiltrate inside the body of the deceased may serve as a corroborative or even conclusive evidence to support the diagnosis of death. These diatoms also help in ascertaining whether the drowning is ante-mortem or post-mortem. The review discusses the current extraction procedures and microscopic examination techniques used in forensic science for diagnosis of death by drowning.

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

How to Cite
Vijayan, A. ., Kallumpurat, A. ., & Christal, L. G. . (2022). Diatoms: A Review on its Forensic Significance. Journal of Forensic Dental Sciences, 12(3), 197–200. https://doi.org/10.18311/jfds/12/3/2020.566

References

  1. Petar Z, Marija GU, Koraljka KB, Anđelka PM, Judit P. Morpho-functional classifications of phytoplankton assemblages of two deep karstic lakes. Hydrobiologia. 2014; 740(1):147–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-0141950-1
  2. Verma K. Role of Diatoms in the World of Forensic Science. J Forensic Res. 2013; 04(02). https://doi.org/10.4172/21577145.1000181
  3. Saxena A, Tiwari A, Kaushik R, Iqbal HMN, Parra-Saldívar R. Diatoms recovery from wastewater: Overview from an ecological and economic perspective. J Water Process Eng [Internet]. 2021; 39(September):101705. PMCid: PMC7562967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101705 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101705
  4. Plenkovic-Moraj A, Gligora M, Kralj K, Mustafic P. Diatoms in monitoring of Drava River, Croatia. River Syst. 2007; 17(3-4):511–25. https://doi.org/10.1127/lr/17/2007/511 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1127/lr/17/2007/511
  5. Round FE. Diatoms in river water-monitoring studies. J Appl Phycol. 1991; 3(2):129–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00003695 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00003695
  6. Piette MHA, De Letter EA. Drowning: Still a difficult autopsy diagnosis. Forensic Sci Int. 2006; 163(1-2):1–9. PMid: 16378701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.10.027 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.10.027
  7. Krstic S, Duma A, Janevska B, Levkov Z, Nikolova K, Noveska M. Diatoms in forensic expertise of drowning - A Macedonian experience. Forensic Sci Int. 2002; 127(3):198–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(02)00125-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(02)00125-1
  8. Takeichi T, Kitamura O. Detection of diatom in formalinfixed tissue by proteinase K digestion. Forensic Sci Int. 2009; 190(1-3):19–23. PMid: 19520528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.05.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.05.005
  9. Taylor JC, Harding WR, Archibald CGM. A methods manual for the collection, preparation and analysis of diatom samples. Version 1.0. Water Research Commision Report No TT281/07. 2007. p. 49.
  10. Ming M, Meng X, Wang E. Evaluation of four digestive methods for extracting diatoms. Forensic Sci Int. 2007; 170(1):29–34. PMid: 17010547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.08.022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.08.022
  11. DiGiancamillo A, Domeneghini C, Gibelli D, Cattaneo C. Diatom extraction with HCl from animal tissues: A technical note. Leg Med [Internet]. 2011; 13(5):268–71. PMid: 21683642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2011.05.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2011.05.005
  12. Yange L, Chuanying H, Chengxing W, Xu W. Development of can for destruction of organic material in use for forensic diatom examination. Forensic Sci Int. 1999; 101(3):163–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(98)00196-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(98)00196-0
  13. Ludes B, Quantin S, Coste M, Mangin P. Application of a simple enzymatic digestion method for diatom detection in the diagnosis of drowning in putrified corpses by diatom analysis. Int J Legal Med. 1994; 107(1):37–41. PMid: 7999644. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01247273 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01247273
  14. Natural OF, For E. Protocols for the analysis of algal samples collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program.
  15. Sidari L, Di Nunno N, Costantinides F, Melato M. Diatom test with Soluene-350 to diagnose drowning in sea water. Forensic Sci Int. 1999; 103(1):61–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(99)00056-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(99)00056-0
  16. Hu S, Liu C, Wen J, Dai W, Wang S, Su HF, et al. Detection of diatoms in water and tissues by combination of microwave digestion, vacuum filtration and scanning electron microscopy. Forensic Sci Int [Internet]. 2013; 226(13):e48–51. PMid: 23374881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.01.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.01.010
  17. Zhao J, Liu C, Bardeesi ASA, Wu Y, Ma Y, Hu S, et al. The diagnostic value of quantitative assessment of diatom test for drowning: An analysis of 128 water-related death cases using microwave digestion-vacuum filtrationautomated scanning electron microscopy. J Forensic Sci. 2017; 62(6):1638–42. PMid: 28205216. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13455 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13455
  18. Morales EA, Siver PA, Trainor FR. Identification of diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) during ecological assessments: Comparison between light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Proc Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia. 2001; 151(1):95–103. https://doi.org/10.1635/0097-3157(2001)151[0095:IODBDE]2.0.CO;2
  19. Yu W, Xue Y, Knoops R, Yu D, Balmashnova E, Kang X, et al. Automated diatom searching in the digital scanning electron microscopy images of drowning cases using the deep neural networks. Int J Legal Med. 2021; 135(2):497–508. PMid: 32789676. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02392-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02392-z
  20. Lunetta P, Penttilä A, Hällfors G. Scanning and transmission electron microscopical evidence of the capacity of diatoms to penetrate the alveolo-capillary barrier in drowning. Int J Legal Med. 1998; 111(5):229–37. PMid: 9728748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004140050159 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004140050159
  21. Hildebrand M, Doktycz MJ, Allison DP. Application of AFM in understanding biomineral formation in diatoms. Pflugers Arch Eur J Physiol. 2008; 456(1):127–37. PMid: 18058126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-007-0388-y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-007-0388-y
  22. Almqvist N, Delamo Y, Smith BL, Thomson NH, Bartholdson Å, Lal R, et al. Micromechanical and structural properties of a pennate diatom investigated by atomic force microscopy. J Microsc. 2001; 202(3):518–32. PMid: 11422673. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2818.2001.00887.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2818.2001.00887.x
  23. Mann DG, Sato S, Trobajo R, Vanormelingen P, Souffreau C. DNA barcoding for species identification and discovery in diatoms. Cryptogam Algol. 2010; 31(4):557–77.
  24. Chen XG, Zhang J, Huang Y, Hou YP. Diatom taxa identification based on single-cell isolation and rDNA sequencing. Forensic Sci Int Genet Suppl Ser [Internet]. 2013; 4(1):1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigss.2013.10.157 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigss.2013.10.157