jbes Journal of Biological and Environmental Sciences 1307-9530 1308-2019 Bursa Uludağ University 10.5281/zenodo.19590544 Botany (Other) Bitki Bilimi (Diğer) Diatoms as a Forensic Evidence: Transfer of Marine Diatoms to Different Fabrics and Determination of Their Appropriate Extraction Method https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3177-3458 Günay Arslan Zeynep Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6461-0850 Yıldız Gamze Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi 04 17 2026 0 58 02 26 2026 04 07 2026 Copyright © 2007, Journal of Biological and Environmental Sciences 2007 Journal of Biological and Environmental Sciences

In forensic studies, diatoms are often used as trace evidence. In particular, diatoms attached to clothing are used for this purpose. However, studies show that the transfer of diatoms to clothing and the extraction method give different results on different fabrics. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the most effective marine diatom isolation method for the most commonly used fabrics. Fabric pieces were immersed in seawater for 4, 24 and 96 hours to ensure the transfer of diatoms. Diatoms were extracted from the fabrics using three different methods: rinsing with distilled water, rinsing with ethanol, and digestion with hydrogen peroxide. Results showed that the extraction method, fabric type, and immersion time affected the number of diatoms. 4 hours of immersion time was sufficient for the transfer of diatoms to viscose fabric. 4 hours of immersion time also seems to be sufficient for the transfer of diatoms for viscose+polyester fabric, but they could only be obtained from the fabric by the H2O2 method. However, it is understood that 24 hours of immersion time is required for diatom transfer to tencel+polyester fabric. Our results showed that the most effective method for all fabric types is H2O2 digestion. Therefore, we recommend the use of the H2O2 method, especially in cases where the residence time in seawater is unknown in forensic cases. If there is any signs that the evidence has been in seawater for a long time, other methods may be preferred.

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