title: Assessment of the Effects Exerted by Acid and Alkaline Solutions on Bone: Is Chemistry the Answer?
abstract: The treatment of corpses with extremely acid or basic liquids is sometimes performed in criminal contexts. A thorough characterization by chemical analysis may provide further help to macroscopic and microscopic analysis; 63 porcine bone samples were treated with solutions at different pH (1-14) for immersion periods up to 70 days, as well as in extremely acidic sulfuric acid solutions (9 M/18 M) and extremely basic sodium hydroxide. Inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)/plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that only the sulfuric acid solution 18 M was able to completely dissolve the sample. In addition, chemical analysis allowed to recognize the contact between bone and substances. Hydrated calcium sulfate arose from extreme pH. The possibility of detecting the presence of human material within the residual solution was demonstrated, especially with FT-IR, ICP-OES, and EDX.
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia ed Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, V. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amadasi
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia ed Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, V. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camici
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia ed Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, V. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cucca
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Profumo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Nabila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rassifi
authors.affiliation: LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia ed Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, V. Mangiagalli 37, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D004602:Elements; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007101:Immersion; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D004602:Elements; D010710:Phosphates; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; C033158:sulfuric acid; C018279:sodium phosphate
keywords: acids; basis; chemical methods; forensic science; forensic taphonomy; pH