Abstract
Teeth exposed to thermal stress can shed light on the identification of incinerated individuals and on the circumstances of the fire. Changes in the color of burned teeth can provide information on structural changes and the temperature of exposure. The objective of this study was to correlate color modifications with the concentration of human DNA in teeth burned at different temperatures. Spectrophotometry was used to measure the color of 40 teeth heated at temperatures of 100, 200, and 400°C for 60 min. DNA was extracted by phenol-chloroform extraction and quantified by real-time quantitative PCR using the Quantifier human DNA quantification kit. Preliminary results indicated an association of higher temperature with changes in colorimetric variables and a decrease in DNA concentrations. A significant positive correlation was found between luminosity values and DNA concentration (r = 0.4727, p = 0.0128) and between chromaticity a* values and DNA concentration (r = 0.4154, p = 0.0250). Spectrophotometry analysis of the color of burned teeth may predict the feasibility of extracting human DNA for identification purposes.
Highlights
The identification of incinerated human remains poses a major challenge to forensic laboratories and is more difficult with higher intensity and longer duration of the fire
In this study of the effects on teeth of heating at high temperatures for one hour, dental DNA concentrations were found to be lower at higher temperatures and to be significantly correlated with luminosity and chromaticity aà color values of the tooth surface
Most studies on these effects have exposed teeth to high temperatures for a much shorter period, but a longer duration was selected in the present study given the multiple circumstances in which this can occur, including accidents in remote locations and intentional burning, among others [18,19,20]
Summary
The identification of incinerated human remains poses a major challenge to forensic laboratories and is more difficult with higher intensity and longer duration of the fire. Teeth are the hardest structures in the human body, and their pulp is well protected by dentin, enamel, and cementum, explaining their frequent use for obtaining DNA from extremely damaged or degraded human remains (e.g., due to long post-mortem delay, major catastrophe, or hightemperature fire, among others) [1,2]. Exposure to high temperatures evaporates water and organic material, leading to the contraction of dental tissues and changing the structure, shape, and color of teeth. The survival of dental DNA after heating is highly dependent on the temperature and duration of the exposure and the type of tooth [8,9].
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