Pollen in Domestic Dwellings: Forensic Implications

Morgan, R. M., Allen, E., Balestri, F., Davies, G., King, T., Sena V. and Bull, P. A.

Outline

Role of experimental studies

Experiment 1: Pollen within a room

Morgan, R. M., Allen, E., Lightowler, Z. L., Freudiger-Bonzon, J. and Bull, P. A. 2008 A forensic geoscience framework and practice. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice 2: 185-195

Morgan, R. M., Allen, E., Lightowler, Z. L., Freudiger-Bonzon, J. and Bull, P. A. 2008 A forensic geoscience framework and practice. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice 2: 185-195

Pollen in a room – scenario 2

0 5 10 15 200

2000

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6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

Figure 4.4.7.a. Graph to show persistence of pollen after removal of pollen source

Run Three

Run Four

Run Five

Run Six

Days since flowers' removal

Num

ber o

f pol

len

grai

ns sa

mpl

ed th

roug

ht th

e

room

-spa

ce

0 5 10 15 200%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Figure 4.4.7.b. Decay in pollen count after flowers removed from room

Run Three

Run Four

Run Five

Run Six

Days since flowers' removal

Polle

n co

unt (

% o

f pol

len

coun

t on

day

of fl

ower

re

mov

al)

Grass Tulip (Tulippa)

Fuchsia(Thalia)

Oak (Quercus)

Pine(Pinus)

Run one 0 0 0 0 0

Run two 0 0 0 0 0

Run three 196 0 0 0 0

Run four 504 1 0 7 0

Run five 739 0 1 1 12

Findings

Experiment 2: Pollen on ink and paper

Findings

Experiment 3: Pollen preservation in heat and fire

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Time (sec)

Tem

pera

ture

(ºC

)

Floor (0.15m)Mid-Height (1.37m)Ceiling (2.26m)

Putori Jr, A.D. and McElroy, J. (2000) ‘Full-Scale House Fire Experiment for InterFIRE VR’, Report of Test, Published by U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Lilium

Tulipa

Narcissus

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

5 10 15 30Exposure Time (minutes)

Tempe

rature (º

C)

Lilly

Daffodil

Tulip

Findings

Implications