Researchers in Italy have demonstrated how Raman microspectroscopy could provide additional chemical information during forensic autopsies, identifying molecular signatures associated with fat embolism, cocaine-related deaths and gunshot residue.
The study was published online on November 12, 2026, in Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology by researchers including Donato Morena, Gabriele Piro and colleagues from Sapienza University of Rome.
The researchers examined preserved tissue sections from 73 judicial autopsy cases, alongside seven sudden cardiac death controls.
The investigated cases included 15 involving pulmonary fat embolism, 27 involving acute cocaine intoxication and 31 firearm-related fatalities.
Raman spectroscopy is an analytical technique that examines how light interacts with molecules. By measuring changes in scattered light, scientists can obtain information about the chemical composition of biological tissues and other materials.
Confocal Raman microspectroscopy combines this approach with microscopic examination, allowing investigators to analyze chemical characteristics at specific locations within a tissue section.
One potential advantage is that the technique can provide molecular information while preserving the examined material for other investigations.
In cases involving pulmonary fat embolism, the researchers detected spectral features associated with lipids.
These included characteristic signals from molecular bonds commonly found in fatty substances, providing chemical information relevant to the examination of suspected fat emboli.
Pulmonary fat embolism occurs when fat droplets enter the pulmonary circulation. Its forensic significance depends on the surrounding medical and pathological circumstances.
In the cocaine-related cases, Raman analysis identified differences in the relative contributions of lipid- and protein-associated signals compared with control tissues.
The researchers used multivariate curve resolution methods to investigate how these chemical components were distributed across tissue sections.
However, these differences should not be interpreted as a validated test for determining cocaine intoxication or establishing the cause of death.
The firearm-related cases provided another application.
Raman microspectroscopy detected inorganic particles at wound margins with spectral features consistent with certain gunshot-residue components.
Such chemical information could potentially complement established microscopic and elemental examinations of suspected firearm discharge residues.
The researchers also reviewed published literature on Raman spectroscopy in forensic science, including applications involving biological fluids, bloodstains, skeletal remains, trace evidence and postmortem interval estimation.
Across the three examined case categories, the findings suggest that Raman microspectroscopy can provide useful supplementary molecular information without destroying the analyzed tissue sections.
Nevertheless, the authors emphasized that their investigation was exploratory and descriptive.
The study did not establish a validated classification system capable of reliably diagnosing specific causes of death or identifying gunshot residue across all forensic settings.
Further research is needed to develop standardized acquisition procedures, evaluate reproducibility between laboratories and establish reliable forensic spectral reference libraries.
The findings highlight the potential value of combining chemical imaging with conventional forensic pathology, while reinforcing the importance of interpreting molecular results alongside autopsy findings and other evidence.