U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Differentiation of Bullet Type Based on the Analysis of Gunshot Residue Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

NCJ Number
236203
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 56 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2011 Pages: 1268-1276
Author(s)
Ruth N. Udey, M.S.; Brian C. Hunter, M.D.; Ruth Waddell Smith, Ph.D.
Date Published
September 2011
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses the ability to detect and identify gunshot residue (GSR).
Abstract
Porcine tissue samples shot with two different types of bullets, jacketed and nonjacketed, were collected in the fresh state and throughout moderate decomposition. Wound samples were microwave-digested and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to detect all elements present at measurable levels in gunshot residue (GSR). Elements detected included antimony (Sb), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb), which are considered characteristic of GSR, as well as iron (Fe) and copper (Cu). These five elements were used to differentiate shot tissue and unshot tissue, as well as tissue shot by the two different bullet types, both in the fresh state and throughout moderate decomposition. The concentrations of Cu, Sb, and Pb were able to distinguish the two bullet types in fresh tissue samples at the 95 percent confidence level. Cu and Pb were able to differentiate the bullet types throughout moderate decomposition at the 99 percent confidence level. (Published Abstract)

Downloads

No download available

Availability