title: [Study on electrical current mark with environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalyser].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide objective proof on diagnosis of electrical current mark in electrocution, the environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalyser (ESEM-EDX) were adopted to study the microscopic morphological characteristics and elemental composition of electrical current mark.
  
  
  METHODS
  Morphological characteristics of electrical current marks, the elemental composition and morphology of metal particles were studied with ESEM-EDX.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The electroporation and metal melted beads could be found in the electrical current marks and skin around them. The metal melted beads mainly composed of common metal such as iron, copper, aluminum and some uncommon metal including gold, titanium and barium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESEM-EDX can be applied in forensic diagnosis of electrocution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. beautyld@sina.com
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shang-xun
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiang-tao
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yi-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Hong-yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yi-wu
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis / Q000379:methods*; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements