Stokes Kathryn L, Forbes Shari L, Tibbett Mark
Centre for Forensic Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
Forensic Sci Int. 2009 Jan 10;183(1-3):6-13. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.08.013. Epub 2008 Dec 17.
The study of decaying organisms and death assemblages is referred to as forensic taphonomy, or more simply the study of graves. This field is dominated by the fields of entomology, anthropology and archaeology. Forensic taphonomy also includes the study of the ecology and chemistry of the burial environment. Studies in forensic taphonomy often require the use of analogues for human cadavers or their component parts. These might include animal cadavers or skeletal muscle tissue. However, sufficient supplies of cadavers or analogues may require periodic freezing of test material prior to experimental inhumation in the soil. This study was carried out to ascertain the effect of freezing on skeletal muscle tissue prior to inhumation and decomposition in a soil environment under controlled laboratory conditions. Changes in soil chemistry were also measured. In order to test the impact of freezing, skeletal muscle tissue (Sus scrofa) was frozen (-20 degrees C) or refrigerated (4 degrees C). Portions of skeletal muscle tissue (approximately 1.5 g) were interred in microcosms (72 mm diameter x 120 mm height) containing sieved (2mm) soil (sand) adjusted to 50% water holding capacity. The experiment had three treatments: control with no skeletal muscle tissue, microcosms containing frozen skeletal muscle tissue and those containing refrigerated tissue. The microcosms were destructively harvested at sequential periods of 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 23, 30 and 37 days after interment of skeletal muscle tissue. These harvests were replicated 6 times for each treatment. Microbial activity (carbon dioxide respiration) was monitored throughout the experiment. At harvest the skeletal muscle tissue was removed and the detritosphere soil was sampled for chemical analysis. Freezing was found to have no significant impact on decomposition or soil chemistry compared to unfrozen samples in the current study using skeletal muscle tissue. However, the interment of skeletal muscle tissue had a significant impact on the microbial activity (carbon dioxide respiration) and chemistry of the surrounding soil including: pH, electroconductivity, ammonium, nitrate, phosphate and potassium. This is the first laboratory controlled study to measure changes in inorganic chemistry in soil associated with the decomposition of skeletal muscle tissue in combination with microbial activity.
对腐烂生物体和死亡组合的研究被称为法医埋藏学，或者更简单地说是坟墓研究。这个领域主要由昆虫学、人类学和考古学主导。法医埋藏学还包括对埋葬环境的生态学和化学的研究。法医埋藏学研究通常需要使用人类尸体或其组成部分的替代品。这些可能包括动物尸体或骨骼肌组织。然而，要获得足够的尸体或替代品供应，可能需要在将测试材料埋入土壤进行实验性埋葬之前定期冷冻。本研究旨在确定在受控实验室条件下，冷冻对土壤环境中埋葬和分解前骨骼肌组织的影响。还测量了土壤化学的变化。为了测试冷冻的影响，将骨骼肌组织（猪）冷冻（-20摄氏度）或冷藏（4摄氏度）。将部分骨骼肌组织（约1.5克）埋入微型生态系统（直径72毫米×高120毫米）中，微型生态系统中装有过筛（2毫米）的土壤（沙子），将土壤湿度调节到持水量的50%。该实验有三种处理方式：不含有骨骼肌组织的对照组、含有冷冻骨骼肌组织的微型生态系统和含有冷藏组织的微型生态系统。在骨骼肌组织埋葬后的第2、4、6、8、12、16、23、30和37天的连续时间段对微型生态系统进行破坏性收获。每种处理方式对这些收获进行6次重复。在整个实验过程中监测微生物活性（二氧化碳呼吸）。收获时，取出骨骼肌组织，并对碎屑圈土壤进行化学分析取样。在本使用骨骼肌组织的研究中，发现与未冷冻样本相比，冷冻对分解或土壤化学没有显著影响。然而，骨骼肌组织的埋葬对周围土壤的微生物活性（二氧化碳呼吸）和化学性质有显著影响，包括：pH值、电导率、铵、硝酸盐、磷酸盐和钾。这是第一项在实验室控制下测量与骨骼肌组织分解及微生物活性相关的土壤中无机化学变化的研究。
