HISTOTAPHONOMIC DETERMINATION OF DECAY RATES AND POST-MORTEM INTERVAL OF SUS SCROFA LIVER USING SPECIAL STAINS

ABSTRACT Estimating the time after death is an important aspect of the role of a forensic expert. After death, the body undergoes substantial changes in its chemical and physical composition which can prove useful in providing an indication of the post-mortem interval. The most accurate estimate of the time of death is best achieved early in the post-mortem interval before the many environmental variables can affect the result. Whilst dependence on macroscopic observations was the foundation of the past practice, the application of histological techniques is proving to be an increasingly valuable tool in forensic research. This study was conducted to evaluate the histologic post-mortem changes that take place in liver tissues of sus scrofa and to correlate these changes with the time interval after death. In this study, A male pig was gotten and after being assessed and found to be in good condition was sacrificed using sharp neck trauma. The Liver was harvested and kept in an enclosed building for a period of 5 days. Sixteen samples of post-mortem testicular tissues were obtained at varied post-mortem intervals. 0hr, 2hrs, 6hrs and 10hrs for day one. While from the day two to the fifth day, tissues were taken for an interval of 6hrs(Morning, afternoon, and evening). Each harvested tissue was fixed in bouins fluid for 6hours after which it was removed and immediately fixed in alcohol, after which the tissues were processed and viewed in a light microscope of 100x magnification. the histological analysis of Sus scrofa liver revealed a progressive degradation that closely aligns with known decomposition timelines. The use of special stains, such as H&E, successfully highlighted key histological features, including vacuolation, bile duct rupture, and nuclear degradation, which are critical for determining PMI. Similarly, the sequential depletion of glycogen and its correlation with structural changes in hepatic tissues offers a practical tool for PMI estimation. The presence of glycogen up to 10 hours post-mortem suggests that its detection can be used to delineate early post-mortem intervals. The reduction by Day 2 and its complete absence by Day 3 provide key temporal markers that align with histotaphonomic decay, allowing for a more accurate estimation of PMI during forensic investigations. In conclusion, this study validates the utility of histotaphonomic analysis using Sus scrofa liver as a reliable method for estimating PMI. The progressive histological changes observed in this study can be used to establish reference points for PMI determination, potentially improving the accuracy of forensic investigations involving liver tissues.