Estimation of postmortem submersion interval using total aquatic decomposition scores of human cadavers from Punjab.

Abstract

Estimation of the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) using total aquatic decomposition scores (TADS) has shown considerable promise in recent forensic research. Since decomposition is a time- and temperature-dependent process, the Accumulated Degree Day (ADD) of water has been linked with TADS to improve the accuracy of PMSI estimations. Expanding research across diverse geographical areas and aquatic environments (lentic, lotic, freshwater, and saltwater) is essential to enhance the reliability and applicability of scoring methods. This study analyzed 50 cases from different districts of Punjab, with TADS ranging from 4 to 22, calculated using Heaton et al.'s method. These scores corresponded to various decomposition stages, with 22 cases in the early floating stage (ADD: 9.79-104.54), 21 cases in the floating decay stage (ADD: 104.54-459.33), and 7 cases in the advanced floating decay stage (ADD: 617.58-2018.19). Furthermore, a robust correlation between TADS and PMSI (R² = 0.925, p < 0.001) confirms the reliability of TADS in estimating PMSI. The established regression equation, $\text{PMSI}={10}^{\left(-0.160+0.07316\times \text{TADS}\right)}$ , provides a predictive tool for PMSI estimation. The findings suggest that TADS is a reliable indicator of PMSI and can be effectively applied in subtropical climates. The established regression equations provide a practical tool for estimating PMSI in human remains recovered from regions with similar climatic conditions.