Spectral Transmission of Porcine Crystalline Lens at Post-Mortem Interval.

Abstract

Purpose: Determining the total spectral transmission of the porcine crystalline lens at various post mortem intervals. Method: An experimental study conducted in the Department of chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Benin. Twenty pairs of porcine eyes were obtained from an abattoir in Benin City. The crystalline lenses were carefully extracted from the enucleated porcine eyes at various post- mortem intervals (0, 12, 24, 36 and 48hours) and their spectral transmissions were measured using a T80 UV-VIS Spectrophotometer. Measurement at 0 hour was used as a control being the baseline. Result: The result showed a strong negative correlation between increased post mortem intervals and transmission of the crystalline lens for both eyes, as the post-mortem time interval increases, the transmission of long wavelengths (r = -0.992, P = 0.001), mid wavelengths (r = -0.994, P = 0.000) and short wavelengths(r = -0.991, P = 0.001) decreases significantly. It was also observed there was no significant difference (P> 0.05) existed between both eyes in the different wavelength regions with increased post mortem interval. Conclusion: The study shows that time after death has effect on the spectral transmission of crystalline lens which can serve as important information in forensic evaluation.