Focus on Caustic Acid Substances and Bone Tissue: What Forensic Anthropologists and Pathologists Should Pay Attention To

Abstract

The interaction between caustic acid substances and a human body is typically observed in forensics as a means of concealment and destruction. In this regard, the literature is sparse, and the few studies that have been conducted have been primarily on animal bones. However, since it has been shown that the complete dissolution of a body in acid is more of a theoretical occurrence than a real one, we sought to focus on this particular aspect and to gather the latest findings from the literature. It has been shown that traces of human teeth and bones can still be effectively detected even after immersion in acidic substances through Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis. Furthermore, compact bone has been identified as the best substrate for investigating the human nature of acid-immersed bone remains. Thus, it is necessary for forensic anthropologists (and, of course, pathologists) to be aware of the critical issues involved in approaching a body immersed in acid, as well as the analyses that can be performed to uncover the clues that may lie in microscopic traces that can be easily overlooked.