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Use of cadaveric vitreous humor as an innovative substrate for diatoms research and forensic diagnosis of drowning

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Abstract

The search for diatoms is the test that most of all may contribute to the forensic diagnosis of drowning. Diatoms can be extracted through different methods, which are all complex and long. In this preliminary study, we assessed human vitreous humor as an innovative substrate on which to research diatoms. Sampling and analyses were performed on 3 groups of 10 corpses each. The first one was composed of drowned victims. The second one of victims of traffic accidents with subsequent projection in water; based on the severe traumatic injuries reported at autopsy, we considered such victims as ideally assimilable to bodies immersed in water postmortem. The third group was composed of subjects who died for natural causes and without any relationship with water. The vitreous humor was centrifugated and cytocentrifuged and spotted on two different histological slides: one was left blank and the other one was assessed with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Microscopic observation successfully revealed diatoms in all cases of the first group; in the second group diatoms were not detected in 6 cases; in the third group, no diatoms at all were observed. Diatoms were always qualitatively and quantitatively consistent with those found in the corresponding viscera and waters, which had been investigated through classical acid digestion. Our analyses have demonstrated that the vitreous humor behaves in a completely similar way to the other viscera in cases of drowning. Although further investigations are necessary, vitreous humor has proved to be an innovative, suitable, and reliable substrate for the forensic research of diatoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Laboratorio di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico Legale, Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy

    Stefano Tambuzzi, Guendalina Gentile, Paolo Bailo, Salvatore Andreola & Riccardo Zoja

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  1. Stefano Tambuzzi
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  2. Guendalina Gentile
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  3. Paolo Bailo
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  4. Salvatore Andreola
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  5. Riccardo Zoja
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Contributions

TS and GG equally contributed to this work. They devised the project and the main conceptual idea of the article, collected data, drafted the manuscript, and performed literature research. BP contributed to the samples collection and review and editing. SA contributed to the investigation and methodology. RZ guarantor of the project and directed the study, devised the main conceptual idea of the article.

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Correspondence to Guendalina Gentile.

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This study was performed from data from human cadavers. This article does not contain any studies with (living) human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. The subjects involved in this study underwent a judicial autopsy at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Milan in order to identify the cause of death. Data collecting, sampling, and subsequent forensic analysis were authorized by the public prosecutor. Therefore, data were acquired as part of a forensic judicial investigation and in accordance to Italian Police Mortuary Regulation.

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The authors declared that all the investigations were carried out accordingly to the Italian Law.

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All the authors agree for publication.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Stefano Tambuzzi and Guendalina Gentile are co-first authors.

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Tambuzzi, S., Gentile, G., Bailo, P. et al. Use of cadaveric vitreous humor as an innovative substrate for diatoms research and forensic diagnosis of drowning. Int J Legal Med 136, 1745–1754 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-021-02759-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-021-02759-w

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