Journal Published Online: 01 September 1994
Volume 39, Issue 5

Fluorescence Detection of Ethyl Centralite in Gunshot Residues

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

A fluorescence method has been developed to detect ethyl centralite in gunshot residues. Residues were recovered from shooters' hands with cotton wool swabs. The swabs were extracted by a syringe elution procedure and the extracts cleared by TLC. The cleaned samples were hydrolyzed in phosphoric acid at 178 °C for 20 min to yield N-ethylaniline. Any N-ethylaniline was dansylated directly on a TLC plate, which was then developed two-dimensionally. The fluorescent dansyl-N-ethylaniline spot was scraped off and extracted for fluorometric determination. The detection limits for ethyl centralite standards and spiked hand samples are 1 ng and 5 ng respectively. Three out of six test firings of a .38 revolver gave extracts that were found to contain ethyl centralite. One of these was swabbed 180 min after firing three rounds of ammunition.

Author Information

Meng, H-H
Forensic Science Unit, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
Caddy, B
Forensic Science Unit, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
Pages: 12
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: JFS13707J
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13707J