title: [Improved nitric acid digestion method for detecting diatom in autopsy tissue].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the advantages of nitric acid digestion method and its differences with the traditional method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethanol was used to fully fix the testing sample. About 80-100 g of the testing samples were cut into pieces and digested with nitric acid. It was then centrifuged and washed to remove organic components. Smears were prepared and examined under the light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diatom had been identified with clear striations, counted conveniently and classified easily.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improved nitric acid digestion method is not only simple with a higher successful rate of detection, but also can prevent interference from contamination. It can improve the stability of the experimental results, avoid harm to human and environment, and provide higher safety in the course of experiment.
authors.affiliation: Public Security Bureau of Quanzhou, Quanzhou 362000, China. yyf953314@163.com
authors.forename: Ying-feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan-yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xiao-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D017377:Diatoms / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004332:Drowning; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D017942:Nitric Acid