Development of a quantitative PCR‐based method for studying temporal DNA degradation in waterlogged bone

Abstract

Water-related deaths occur due to unintentional drowning, boat/ ship disasters, and plane crashes. As a means of disposal, human bodies can be intentionally deposited in lakes or rivers, or other bodies of water after murder (a famous example is of Emmett Till). In many cases, recovered remains from the water bodies consist predominantly of bones, as bones can be protected from environmental deterioration (though the amount of protection varies based on the aquatic conditions) [1]. In water, bones of the pelvis and thorax remain as articulated units the longest, and hence have a better chance of recovery from submerged remains [1, 2]. Despite its highly mineralized composition, bone is more susceptible to accelerated degradation in water than on land [3, 4]. Recovery of good-quality deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from waterlogged bone is challenging, and hence selection of DNA extraction method is the first step in optimum recovery of host DNA and subsequent Short Tandem Repeat (STR) profile generation from waterlogged bones. Previous studies [5-10] have examined DNA extraction methods from bone, though they were mainly focused on bones recovered from terrestrial environments. Vass et al. [6] conducted research on human nails, ribs, and other tissue and suggested that DNA in ribs and teeth can survive for extended