Are diatoms routinely collected at a crime scene where water is in evidence? I know that diatoms are powerful trace evidence but I do not know if many people are qualified to recognize diatoms and understand their significance.
Yes. In some cases, water samples are routinely collected in crime scene practice in Hungary. These need also be tested for diatoms in case of drowning.
Most forensic workers in Belgium could retrieve diatoms from lungs and bone marrow. However only few people (botanists) could discern the many species! And this is most important to find in which waters the victims drowned. Collaboration between biologists and forensic workers is necessary. However in the field it is very difficicult to achieve that!
I was wondering how many crime scene technicians would even think to obtain water specimens from a crime scene and so far the only responses I have received have been from outside the U.S. I have found access to an SEM necessary for accurate I.D's.
This type of trace evidence is always considered with a body found in water in the UK. The samples from the scene, post mortem and clothing worn by the victim are submitted to a forensic service provider who will interpret the presence of diatoms. It is a very niche discipline in the UK but can be very useful and should always be considered.
It is good to know that diatoms are considered somewhere in the world. It seems like the UK is much more thorough when examining crime scenes. It is a problem finding people who are knowledgeable in diatom identification. I wish I still had access to an SEM for proper identification. Thank you for your response.
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