Testing embalming solution suitability for high impulse current experimentation on biological tissue

Actualistic laboratory-based experimentation has shown that high impulse currents induce microtrauma to cadaveric bone, the patterns of which may have utility in lightning fatality determination However, it is unclear whether embalming solutions used to replace bodily fluids and preserve the cadaveric tissues, may interfere with current transfer and induced-microtrauma patterns. As such, testing the resistance and impulse current passage of embalming fluids is crucial to build construct validity for biological studies. Low and high voltage impulse currents were applied to isotonic saline, used and fresh embalming solutions. Shunt voltage consistently increased across all solutions, despite embalming fluid having greater resistance to current flow. High voltage tests demonstrated fluid breakdown and current passage throughout all solutions. Current transfer results through embalming fluids suggest that high impulse currents are of sufficient magnitude to allow use of embalmed tissues in experimentation.