DeBattista Roslyn, Tidy Helen, Thompson Tim J U, Robertson Peter
School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS1 3BA, United Kingdom.
Sci Justice. 2014 Jul;54(4):288-91. doi: 10.1016/j.scijus.2014.03.002. Epub 2014 Apr 6.
A significant amount of research has been carried out on fibres to aid the forensic scientist in determining the significance of these when found on a victim or suspect. This work has focused on open-air environments, and as such no research has been undertaken to examine the persistence of fibres on bodies in the burial environment. Wool and cotton fibres, known to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light, were transferred onto the skin of four porcine (Sus scrofa) carcasses (two carcasses per fibre type). The number of fibres transferred was recorded from images taken under UV light. The remains were subsequently placed in four burial sites and left interred for 14 days. After this period the carcasses were excavated and lightly brushed down to remove the soil layer that had adhered to the skin. Once again photography under UV light was used to record the number of fibres which persisted on the skin. Results showed that after 14 days, wool and cotton fibres remain on the surface of the buried carcasses. In no circumstance was there a total loss of fibres suggesting that in such scenarios, the likelihood of finding fibres is high but the initial number of fibres transferred would be strongly diminished. This has important implications for both the excavation protocol for buried remains and the subsequent analysis for physical evidence.
已经开展了大量关于纤维的研究，以帮助法医科学家确定在受害者或嫌疑人身上发现纤维时其重要性。这项工作主要集中在露天环境，因此尚未进行研究来考察纤维在埋葬环境中尸体上的持久性。已知羊毛和棉纤维在紫外线（UV）照射下会发出荧光，将其转移到四具猪（Sus scrofa）尸体的皮肤上（每种纤维类型两具尸体）。从紫外线照射下拍摄的图像中记录转移的纤维数量。随后将遗体放置在四个埋葬地点，埋葬14天。在此期间过后，挖掘出尸体并轻轻刷去附着在皮肤上的土层。再次使用紫外线照射下的摄影来记录残留在皮肤上的纤维数量。结果表明，14天后，羊毛和棉纤维仍留在埋葬尸体的表面。在任何情况下都没有纤维完全消失，这表明在这种情况下，发现纤维的可能性很高，但最初转移的纤维数量会大幅减少。这对埋葬遗体的挖掘方案以及随后的物证分析都具有重要意义。
