INTEREST OF DIATOM FLORA INVESTIGATIONS A T DROWNING SITES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF DEATH

The diagnosis of drowning can only be made if the diatom investigation in the tissues of the victim is accompanied by the water sample analy sis of the site of submersion or discovery of the corpse. The water sa mples allow to draw the flora profiling of the drowning site to be com pared to the diatom genera found in the tissues. Moreover, the determi nation of the dominant diatom genera in the water sample can provide s upportive evidence of the site of discovery.