Using ninhydrin to detect gravesoil

Carter, D. O., Yellowlees, D. and Tibbett, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0143-2190 (2008) Using ninhydrin to detect gravesoil. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 53 (2). pp. 397-400. ISSN 0022-1198 doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00681.x

Abstract/Summary

Some death scene investigations commence without knowledge of the location of the body and/or decomposition site. In these cases, it is necessary to locate the remains or the site where the body decomposed prior to movement. We hypothesized that the burial of a mammalian cadaver will result in the release of ninhydrin reactive nitrogen (NRN) into associated soil and that this reaction might have potential as a tool for the identification of clandestine graves. Juvenile rat (Rattus rattus) cadavers were buried in three contrasting soil types in Australian tropical savanna ecosystems and allowed to decompose over a period of 28 days. Soils were sequentially harvested and analyzed for NRN. Cadaver burial resulted in an approximate doubling (mean = 1.7 ± 0.1) in the concentration of soil NRN. This reaction has great potential to be used as a presumptive test for gravesoil and this use might be greatly enhanced following more detailed research.