NCJ Number
189236
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 28 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2001 Pages: 98-100
Date Published
June 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Tennessee), with help from colleagues at the University of Tennessee, is examining time-dependent chemical and biological markers in the hope of gaining a better understanding of the decay process in cadavers.
Abstract
The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a tricorder-like device that could be passed over a body to indicate how long the person had been dead. Short of this, the project is developing a model that would allow forensic scientists to insert data into a chart or computer program to determine how long a person has been dead. As a body decomposes, proteins break down into amino acids and progressively smaller molecules. By examining whether there is a constant rate at which the large molecules of the body break down, the researchers believe they can develop a computer program that correlates the percentage of larger molecules to small ones within a number of days. The project is searching for biochemical markers that will indicate time since death. As part of the project, daily tissue samples are taken from cadavers at the research facility. Samples of heart, lung, liver, kidneys, and skeletal muscle are collected at 24-hour intervals. After the sample is collected, it is frozen to a level that stops all enzymatic and bacterial activity, creating a "snapshot" of the decomposition. The tissue is then analyzed by the laboratory to identify breakdown components that correlate to temperature. The research is also focusing on determining whether a body has been moved from where the death occurred. This is done by looking at volatile fatty acids in the soil or whatever is under the body. If these fluids or even traces are not present, the body did not decay where it was found. Another focus of the project is aroma scan technology, which involves using an electronic "nose" to identify unique chemical signatures that might be used by officers in the field to help locate bodies and construct details.