APPLICATIONS OF SPARK SOURCE MASS SPECTROMETRY AND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS TO FORENSIC SCIENCE

• NCJ Number: 29687
• Author(s): T G WILLIAMSON; W W HARRISON
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 84 pages
• Grant Number(s): 71-NI-019-G
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: University of Virginia
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TWO METHODS OF TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS ARE DESCRIBED WITH APPLICATIONS IN THE DETECTION OF GUNSHOT RESIDUES, POISONS, NARCOTICS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.

Abstract

SPARK SOURCE MASS SPECTROMETRY (SSMS) IS A METHOD OF TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS THAT USES A HIGH VOLTAGE RADIO FREQUENCY SPARK TO IONIZE A SAMPLE OF MATERIAL. THE IONS ARE INTRODUCED TO A MASS SPECTROMETER WHICH SORTS THE IONS ACCORDING TO THEIR MASS-CHARGE RATIOS. PHOTOGRAPHIC OR ELECTRICAL DETECTION RESULTS ARE COMPARED WITH DATA FROM KNOWN SAMPLES TO PRODUCE AN ANALYSIS. INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS (INAA) IS A TECHNIQUE IN WHICH A SAMPLE IS IRRADIATED IN A NEUTRON FIELD, AND THE PRODUCED RADIOACTIVE NUCLIDES ARE DETECTED BY SUITABLE RADIATION COUNTERS. THE ELEMENTS COMPRISING THE SAMPLE ARE IDENTIFIED FROM THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EMITTED RADIATIONS. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SSMS AND INAA ARE DISCUSSED, AND DATA FROM ACTUAL SAMPLES ARE PROVIDED IN TABLES AND GRAPHS. A LIST OF OTHER PUBLICATIONS AND SOURCES IS PROVIDED.