FLAMELESS ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF ANTIMONY AND BARIUM IN GUNSHOT RESIDUE COLLECTION SWABS: A COLLABORATIVE STUDY

• NCJ Number: 143726
• Journal: Crime Laboratory Digest Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1993) Pages: 19-23
• Author(s): R D Koons
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 5 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In an effort to assess the reliability of using flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) to detect barium (Ba) and antimony (Sb) in gunshot-residue collection swabs, analysts from eight laboratories participated in a collaborative study.

Abstract

Prior to participation in the interlaboratory study, the collaborators attended a 1-week training course in the use of the tested procedure. They then received the test samples and returned to their laboratories to perform the analyses. The tested procedure yielded results with accuracy and precision comparable to that which has been obtained by neutron activation analysis (NAA) for years. Flameless AAS offers advantages over NAA to most forensic laboratories because of its sensitivity for Ba and Sb, ready availability, ease of use, and applicability to other elements, particularly lead. The method used in this study may be used directly or as a method by which to compare in- house methods of gunshot residue extraction and analysis. 2 tables and 5 references