Journal de recherche médico-légale

Study of Diatom Flora of Kaalesar Ghat of Rapti River at Gorakhpur for Forensic Consideration

Abstract

Ashutosh Mall*, Lav Kesharwani, and Dubey A. D.

Diatoms are unique algae. They are scientifically known as Bacillariophyceae. Diatoms have been used in forensic science in a variety of ways, the most frequent being the diagnosis of death by drowning. When a person drowns, water will enter the lungs and then enter the bloodstream through ruptures in the peripheral alveoli before being carried to the other organs such as the liver and heart. Naturally, the microscopic contents of the water, which will include diatoms, will pass into the blood as well. The detection of diatoms in the organs can contribute to a diagnosis of death by drowning, a process referred to as the ‘diatom test’. A study was conducted in the department of Forensic Science, SHUATS, Prayagraj which included the extraction and identification of diatoms from the collected water samples from three different sites of Kaalesar Ghat of Rapti River in Gorakhpur. The acid digestion method was used for diatom extraction. And, after analysis total 13 diatom species were found. The identified diatoms were of great ecological assessment that plays an important role in criminal investigations related to pre-mortem or ante-mortem drowning.