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Abstract
This study investigates biochemical changes in the aqueous humor and blood of bovine eyes after death to improve methods for estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) in forensic investigations. The aqueous humor, a clear fluid in the eye's anterior chamber, is relatively isolated from external factors and may serve as a more reliable fluid for PMI estimation compared to blood, which is subject to faster and more variable biochemical changes. Key biochemical markers (e.g., glucose, electrolytes, and proteins) will be measured in both fluids at different times after death. The results obtained will determine if the aqueous humor has more gradual and predictable biochemical changes than the blood or if it changes more rapidly and inconsistently as compared to the blood. This will further suggests that aqueous humor may or may not provide a more stable timeline for estimating PMI, especially when compared to blood samples. This study will be a support to the use of either blood or aqueous humor as a biomarker in forensic settings and calls for further research on post-mortem biochemical dynamics in humans and environmental influences on fluid degradation.
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