FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF Soil

SOIL: A NECESSARY EXAMINATION

1. SOIL
M.Scforensic sienceand criminology
ChhaviKaushal
2
nd
Semester

2. Soil: Introduction
What is soil?
The word SOIL was originated from the Latin Word “SOLUM” which means ‘FLOOR’.
Soilis amixtureoforganic matter,minerals,gases,liquids, andorganismsthat together
supportlife.
Origin:
Soils are formed as a result of weathering of rocks and by erosion.
Weathering:
Weathering is the processes that occur to break down rock into soil. This process includes
water freezing, thawing, landslides, wind and chemical action.

3. Weathering

4. Soil Profile
Soil profile is a
vertical cross-
section of
layers of soil
found in a
given area.
Soil horizons
are used to
classify the soil
and make
interpretations
about its
quality and
stability.

5. Properties of Soil
Physical properties
1.Color
2.Texture
3.Structure
4.Density
5.Porosity

6. Color

7. Texture

8. Functions of Soil
Soils perform five key functions in the global ecosystem. Soil serves as a:
Medium for plant growth.
Regulator of water supplies.
Recycler of raw materials.
Habitat for soil organisms, and
Landscaping and engineering medium, etc.

9. Soil as an Evidence
Traces of soil found on victim’s or suspect’s body or articles may give the prediction about
the place where it may have came from.
For Example:
In sexual assault cases, soil on victim’s clothes may confirm the actual place, where the
assault id conducted.
In murder cases, trace of soil over the dead body may confirm where the murder has been
committed and after murder, body may have been disposed off at some other place.
In hit and run cases, mud on tyretreads may confirm the place of accident.
Although it is not necessary that soil found in all the above cases can solve the cases but it
may act as a corroborating evidence to the case.

10. Instrumental analysis of soil
SEM-EDX
XRF
GC
GC-MS
Soil Mapping-GIS

11. Case Study
How soil evidence helped to solve a double murder case.

13. References
https://www.slideshare.net/mehanas/types-of-soil?next_slideshow=1
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/ahl.php?csrno=14
http://passel.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=1130447033&to
picorder=3&maxto=7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil#Uses
https://www.huttonltd.com/services/soil-forensics