ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 May 2003
Page Count: 15

Glass-Containing Gunshot Residue Particles: A New Type of Highly Characteristic Particle?
(Received 31 December 2002; accepted 31 December 2002)

Abstract

In 0.22 caliber rimfire ammunition, the primer often contains lead or lead and barium compounds. As residues from these primers do not contain lead, barium, and antimony, they cannot be uniquely classified as gunshot residue (GSR) under ASTM designation E 1588-95. In many types of 0.22 caliber rimfire ammunition, the cartridge contains a primer sensitized with glass. In this paper we describe a previously unreported type of GSR particle consisting of glass fused with other primer components. As there appear to be few potential environmental or occupational sources of particles composed of lead and barium compounds fused to glass, particularly borosilicate glass, these particles may have high evidential value. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray detection (SEM-EDX) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) were evaluated for the characterization of glass-containing GSR particles. The occurrence of glass-containing GSR particles was established in the residue from various brands of 0.22 caliber ammunition, and several sub-types were identified.

Keywords:
forensic science, gunshot residue, 0.22 caliber ammunition, frictionator, glass, borosilicate glass, scanning electron microscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

Paper ID: JFS2002084
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2002084
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