A review of forensic applications of physicochemical parameters of soil beneath decomposed cadavers

Soil and its many attributes are often used to assist the police or environmental investigators involved in crime scene investigation, exhumation, and even linking a suspect to a crime scene. Soil consists of organic and inorganic compounds, water, and air at different compositions and concentrations. These unique soil features may serve as useful evidence in forensic investigations. Soil parameters can individually or cumulatively act as identification markers or aid in supporting other evidence in criminal investigations. The soil might link an individual to a crime scene as soil can be transferred to the suspect's footwear, tires, or clothes. This evidence indirectly correlates to the presence or absence of the person at the crime scene. This review article highlights the application of various soil physicochemical parameters in solving forensic cases. Furthermore, we have summarised the results of 74 research articles related to forensic soil chemistry published from the year 1985 to 2021. In this review manuscript, a literature search was performed in Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, and google search with thorough assessment based on their content and significance. This article aims to review papers on the physicochemical parameters of soil which include soil pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, soil extractable phosphorus, total carbon, total nitrogen, soil extractable ammonium and nitrate, soil colour and soil texture beneath carcasses placed on soil surface as well as buried in graves. ResumeLe sol et ses nombreux attributs sont souvent utilises pour aider la police ou les enqueteurs impliques dans les enquetes sur la scene de crime, l'exhumation, et meme l'etablissement d'un lien entre un suspect et une scene de crime. Le sol est constitue de composes organiques et inorganiques, d'eau, et d'air a differentes concentrations. Ces caracteristiques uniques du sol peuvent servir de preuves utiles dans les enquetes medico-legales. Les parametres du sol peuvent, individuellement ou cumulativement agir comme des marqueurs d'identification ou aider a etayer d'autres preuves dans les enquetes criminelles. Le sol peut permettre de relier un individu a une scene de crime, car la terre peut etre transferee sur les chaussures, les pneus ou les vetements du suspect. Cette preuve est indirectement liee a la presence ou a l'absence de la personne sur la scene de crime. Cet article met en evidence l'application de divers parametres physicochimiques du sol dans la resolution d'affaires medico-legales. Nous avons resume les resultats de 74 articles de recherche lies a la chimie du sol en criminalistique et publies entre 1985 et 2021. Cette revue de la litterature a ete effectuee dans Medline, CINAHL, Scopus et Google Search avec une evaluation approfondie basee sur leur contenu et leur importance.