Estimating the postmortem interval of human skeletal remains by analyzing their fluorescence at 365 and 490 nm

Abstract

The study presented here is regarded as a continuation of the experiments of Sterzik et al., who developed a new practical method to distinguish between historical and recent human skeletal remains. Bone cross-sections were illuminated using light with wavelengths of 365 and 490 nm, causing fluorescence. The fluorescence was documented by photography and further analyzed to examine the areal extent of a certain fluorescent color. Contrary to the previous experiments of Sterzik et al., the present study focused on bones with postmortem intervals (PMIs) ≥ 50 years. Therefore, this study fills the gap created by the former study, pointing towards a correlation between the PMI and the areal extent of the fluorescent surface in both tests. The presence of blue and red fluorescent surfaces < 1% indicated a PMI ≥ 50 years. Furthermore, the presence of blue and red fluorescent surfaces > 1% can be regarded as a marker to exclude a PMI ≥ 50 years; in fact, these bones are likely to have a PMI < 30 years.