Application of the microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy method for diatom detection in the diagnosis of drowning

• We developed a more efficient and sensitive method for forensic diatom test.
• We use this new method in two drowning cases with no effective autopsy findings.
• The new method relies on the high reclaiming rate of membrane filtration.
• The results of the new method are giving more clear evidence for the cause of death.

The cause of death for the decomposed corpses recovered from water is still a difficult issue in current forensic practice. In this article, we present two cases of bodies recovered from water with no positive findings to indicate the cause of their death. We apply both conventional acid digestion method as well as the microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy method (MD-VF-Auto SEM) for diatom detection in different organs of both bodies. Our results indicate that MD-VF-Auto SEM method provide more accurate information and match further police investigation. This novel method would be a useful technique in assessing cause of death for body found in water.