The suspect who has been accused of murdering his wife used hydrocarbon petroleum known as kerosene to kill his wife. Evidence of the kerosene was discovered in the roots of a tree next to where the body was burned. Researchers on the case discovered that traces of sulfur minerals are accountable for discovering that kerosene was used in the murder. Kerosene contains traces of hydrogen, Carbon and sulfur ions.

Sulfur is a component of amino acids in plant proteins and is involved in energy-producing processes in plants. The sulfur in the kerosene is considered a secondary nutrient like calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). Sulfur comes from the slow decomposition of soil organic matter. The sulfur from the kerosene that the suspect used moved into the roots from the surrounding soil spaces by diffusion. Most minerals must be absorbed as water-soluble ions. The tree accumulated the kerosene from the ground and diffused the liquid through its roots. 

     When the kerosene was lit and set on fire it produced carbon dioxide CO2 which is needed for photosynthesis and O2 which is needed by all cells. The CO2 from the kerosene diffuses into the plant through open stomata. The excess oxygen diffuses out of the plant through the stomata as well. Since all cells also require oxygen for cellular respiration, the other substances like the sulfur and CO2 diffused along the easiest route. The sulfur from the kerosene and the gases that developed while the kerosene was being burned moved through the growth stems in the stem epidermis. The roots from the trees obtained the chemicals strictly by diffusion through root epidermis. Plants do require a lot of sulfur, the element considered to be a major plant nutrient. Sulfur is amino acids that make up plant proteins. However, there was much sulfur in the roots of the tree which led researches to discover that the sulfur came from hydrocarbon petroleum like kerosene. The sulfur also creates odors which led researchers to make this discovery.  Trees use a process called transpiration to obtain water from the ground, through the roots, up the trunk and branches, and into the leaves. The tree picked up the kerosene that was left on the ground which got sent throughout its entire body. The tree trunk transports the water and nutrients through its vascular system. The researchers discovered that the tree rings developed by meiosis had traces of kerosene. We also noticed over a long period of time that the excess amount of chemicals in the kerosene started to deteriorate the tree and prevent itself from performing gas exchange by the water it usually obtains through transpiration. We now have clear evidence that kerosene was the weapon used by the suspect to murder the victim through the scientific research found in this tree.