Estimating the postmortem interval of human skeletal remains by analyzing their optical behavior.
The aim of this study was to figure out a new practically applicable method to distinguish between historical and recent human skeletal remains. Therefore, the optical behavior of bone cross sections was investigated using the combination of two methods: a modification of an already established test (UV-induced fluorescence) and a new method (490 nm-induced fluorescence). We evaluated the areal extent of fluorescence of 30 bone cross sections with known postmortem interval (PMI) using ultraviolet light and 490 nm light. For analysis, the areal extend of fluorescent surface was determined using photos of the samples and an image editing software. The results prove that there is a correlation between PMI and the areal extent of fluorescent surface in both tests. Furthermore, the combination of both methods is a good indicator to distinguish within the forensic relevant post mortem interval between PMI < 30 years and PMI > 30 years.
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Rorschacher Strasse 95, 9007, St. Gallen, Switzerland. vera.sterzik@kssg.ch.|Institute of Forensic Medicine, Julius-Maximilians-University, Versbacher Str. 3, 97078, Würzburg, Germany. vera.sterzik@kssg.ch.
V
V
Sterzik
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Julius-Maximilians-University, Versbacher Str. 3, 97078, Würzburg, Germany.
T
T
Jung
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Julius-Maximilians-University, Versbacher Str. 3, 97078, Würzburg, Germany.
K
K
Jellinghaus
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Julius-Maximilians-University, Versbacher Str. 3, 97078, Würzburg, Germany.
M
M
Bohnert
D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology*; D005453:Fluorescence; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008027:Light; D010781:Photography; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012984:Software; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
Alternative light source (ALS); Death time estimation; Fluorescence; Forensic light source; Forensic osteology; Forensic photography; Human skeletal remains; Lumatec Superlite 410; Luminol; Postmortem interval (PMI)