Forensic Study of Diatoms in Freshwater Sample Around Patna Region, Bihar, India.

The study's focus was to identify the types of diatoms present in various freshwater bodies around Patna district, Bihar, India. Freshwater samples were collected from 17 different water habitats using a Random Sampling Technique between January and February 2021. Samples from ecological niches like the Ganga River, ponds, and lakes were collected for diatom analysis using two extraction methods: the H2O2 method and the HNO3 method. The research aimed to determine which extraction procedure was more effective for diatom extraction.

The findings from this research have implications for forensic science laboratories, aiding in the identification of diatoms for criminal investigations, particularly in cases involving drowning or crime scenes near water bodies. The study concludes that the nitric acid digestion method is more effective for diatom extraction compared to the hydrogen peroxide extraction method.