A STUDY OF DIATOM SPECIES FOR FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF DROWNING CASES IN GEORGIAN AQUARIA – A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

When a body is found in the water, the forensic medical examination should determine whether the person was drowned or the body was immersed in the water. In such cases, laboratory research methods, especially plankton detection methods, are specially important. Aquatic diatoms in the water of the Turtle Lake of Tbilisi were selected for the pilot study. The nitric acid method was chosen from two research methods (nitric acid method and nitric acid-potassium bichromate method), because it requires less time and effort. Most of the diatoms found in the water of the Turtle Lake belonged to „Navicula“ and „Fragilaria“ species.