Identification of the metal residues on the death related to the high voltage Spark Region by SEM-EDS

Abstract

High voltage electric energy wires, transformers and the devices which run with this kind of electricity may cause serious damages and death for humans and other living organisms. It was the aim to prove with forensic medicine the presence of conductive evaporated metal particles, existing on the arc-burnt of the corpse with the scanning electron microscope energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). It was reported that somebody who entered the transformer building in Istanbul without any permission died of an arc which was formed by the high voltage there. The autopsy was done in the Morgue Department of Council of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Justice. In the autopsy, some samples were collected by double-sided adhesive coated stubs from the surface of the skin lesions which were the result of the high voltage arc by stub. The removed samples were examined by SEM-EDS technique. The results were evaluated to determine the origin of death. It was concluded that the SEM-EDS data from the area of metallic particles which originated from the evaporating conductor contaminate the skin. The arc-bums related to the high voltage are important with other close examinations to clarify the cause of the death and the mechanism.