International Research Journal of Education and Technology

Diatom analysis is a very important tool in diagnosis and confirmation of death due to drowning. Diatoms have number of characteristics as their widespread presence in water, high diversity in species and habitat specificity. The basic principle of diatom test in drowning is based on the inference that the diatoms are present in medium where drowning took place and the inhaled water enter the alveolar spaces of lungs and penetrates from the alveoli into the blood circulation. The diatoms found inside the body of drown victim may be conclusive evidence to support the diagnosis of death, it can be ascertained whether the death is ante-mortem or post mortem. The presence of diatoms in body tissues liver, kidney, brain and bone marrow is the confirmation of the death due to drowning.

Keywords- Drowning deaths, Diatoms, Acid digestion method, ante-mortem and post-mortem drowning.