DNA survival and physical and histological properties of heat-induced alterations in burnt bones

During forensic casework, it is vital to be able to obtain valuable information from burnt bone fragments to ascertain the identity of the victim. Here, we report the findings of an experimental study on burnt bovine compact bone segments. Compact bones were cut to size and heated in an electric furnace at a temperature range of 100–1,100 °C with 100 °C increments. Heat-induced alterations to the bone color, weight, volume, and density were monitored using gross morphology and micro-focus X-ray computed tomography. We found that the increase in temperature caused the color of the compact bones to change in order of yellow, brown, gray, and white. In contrast to the weight reduction that occurred immediately after burning, we measured no significant reduction in volume even at 600 °C; however, volume reduced drastically once the temperature reached 700 °C. Light microscopic histological observations of burnt bone revealed heat-induced alterations such as cracking and separation of the osteons at higher temperatures. In addition to these findings, we sought to examine the survival of DNA in the burnt bones using polymerase chain reaction of mitochondrial DNA. No amplification was found in the specimens burnt at 250 °C or higher, indicating the likely difficulty in testing the DNA of burnt bones from forensic casework. The results of this study will enable an estimation of the burning temperatures of burnt bones found in forensic cases and will provide an important framework with which to interpret data obtained during anthropological testing and DNA typing.