ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 1998
Page Count: 7

The Contribution of Trace Elements from Smokeless Powder to Post Firing Residues
Miyauchi, H
Forensic Chemists, Research Institute of Scientific Criminal Investigation, Kagawa Police Headquarters,

Kumihashi, M
Forensic Chemists, Research Institute of Scientific Criminal Investigation, Kagawa Police Headquarters,

Shibayama, T
Forensic Chemists, Research Institute of Scientific Criminal Investigation, Kagawa Police Headquarters,

(Received 9 July 1996; accepted 13 June 1997)

Abstract

The smokeless powders in 22 kinds of ammunitions seized from one of the Japanese gang groups were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX). Copper(Cu), sulfur(S), potassium(K), silicon(Si), aluminum(Al), calcium(Ca), iron(Fe), chlorine(Cl), and barium(Ba) were detected. Cu was found in all samples. One sample contained a high amount of Ba. One part of the burnt smokeless powder was found to contain Cu, K, Ca, Fe and S, the other part contained Cu, Fe, and zinc(Zn). It has been reported that the elements in gunshot residues originate from a bullet and/or a primer. However, this demonstrates that smokeless powder could be the source of some of the elements detected.

Keywords:
forensic science, smokeless powder, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, gunshot residue, copper, inorganic elements

Paper ID: JFS16095J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS16095J
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