ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 May 1998
Page Count: 9

Antimony Enrichment on the Bullets' Surfaces and the Possibility of Finding It in Gunshot Residue (GSR) of the Ammunition Having Antimony-Free Primers
Zeichner, A
Head, Toolmarks and Materials Section and Head (retired), Weapons Identification Laboratory, Division of Identification and Forensic Science, Israel Police Headquarters,

Schecter, B
Head, Toolmarks and Materials Section and Head (retired), Weapons Identification Laboratory, Division of Identification and Forensic Science, Israel Police Headquarters,

Brener, R
Surface Science Laboratory, Solid State Institute, Haifa

(Received 24 February 1997; accepted 29 August 1997)

Abstract

Projectiles of twenty brands of ammunition were examined by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX). In all of them antimony enrichment was found on the surface (about 10 µm depth or less) of the lead alloy as compared to the bulk. In some of the bullets the enrichment was high—as much as tens of times the bulk concentration. Concentration depth profiles in several of the projectiles were also studied by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and much higher concentrations of antimony on the surface than in the bulk were observed even where this effect could hardly be detected by SEM/EDX. Shooting tests were carried out using ammunition having antimony-free primers and in which the highest content of antimony on the surface of projectiles was observed. A very small percentage of gunshot residue particles containing antimony was found in these tests.

Keywords:
forensic science, gunshot residue, antimony enrichment, antimony-free primer

Paper ID: JFS16175J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS16175J
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