Gastrointestinal Functionality of Aquatic Animal (Oreochromis niloticus) Carcass in Water Allows Estimating Time of Death

Postmortem changes have been previously studied in some terrestrial animal models, but no prior information is available on aquatic species. Gastrointestinal functionality was investigated in terms of indices, protein concentration, digestive enzyme activity, and scavenging activity, in an aquatic a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of forensic sciences 2016-11, Vol.61 (6), p.1647-1655
Main Authors: Hahor, Waraporn, Thongprajukaew, Karun, Yoonram, Krueawan, Rodjaroen, Somrak
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aquatic animal
digestive enzyme
Digestive system
Enzymes
Fish
forensic biology
Forensic pathology
forensic science
intestine
postmortem change
Proteins
stomach
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Summary:Postmortem changes have been previously studied in some terrestrial animal models, but no prior information is available on aquatic species. Gastrointestinal functionality was investigated in terms of indices, protein concentration, digestive enzyme activity, and scavenging activity, in an aquatic animal model, Nile tilapia, to assess the postmortem changes. Dead fish were floated indoors, and samples were collected within 48 h after death. Stomasomatic index decreased with postmortem time and correlated positively with protein, pepsin‐specific activity, and stomach scavenging activity. Also intestosomatic index decreased significantly and correlated positively with protein, specific activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, amylase, lipase, and intestinal scavenging activity. In their postmortem changes, the digestive enzymes exhibited earlier lipid degradation than carbohydrate or protein. The intestine changed more rapidly than the stomach. The findings suggest that the postmortem changes of gastrointestinal functionality can serve as primary data for the estimation of time of death of an aquatic animal.
ISSN:0022-1198
1556-4029
DOI:10.1111/1556-4029.13227