Abstract
Recently the unique features of the activation analysis method have been utilized to advantage to meet some specialized needs in the scientific investigation of crime. A review of the principal forensic activation analysis applications to biological materials to date indicates that they may be roughly classified as: (i) the detection and determination of residues of toxic materials in foodstuffs, human tissues, sera and excreta; (ii) the 'individualization' of hair, fibres, narcotics and drugs; and (iii) investigation of the transference of ballistic material to bone, cloth or paper. Analyses of these materials in some actual forensic investigations have been perfected to the point of acceptance in the law courts of several countries. Additional and broader areas of application are under development in a number of nuclear and forensic laboratories. (i) The determination of sub microgram quantities of phosphorus compounds, arsenic, mercury, selenium and thallium in specimens from post-mortem examinations and from living persons showing symptoms of toxicity has revealed certain ingestion of abnormal amount of toxic substances by comparison with similar specimens from healthy persons. In some cases, with tissues such as hair and nails, the time scale of the ingestion of arsenic or mercury has been revealed through the distribution
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Jervis, R. E.
[1]
- University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada)
Citation Formats
Jervis, R. E.
Activation Analysis in Forensic Science. Survey Paper.
IAEA: N. p.,
1967.
Web.
Jervis, R. E.
Activation Analysis in Forensic Science. Survey Paper.
IAEA.
Jervis, R. E.
1967.
"Activation Analysis in Forensic Science. Survey Paper."
IAEA.
@misc{etde_22117112,
title = {Activation Analysis in Forensic Science. Survey Paper}
author = {Jervis, R. E.}
abstractNote = {Recently the unique features of the activation analysis method have been utilized to advantage to meet some specialized needs in the scientific investigation of crime. A review of the principal forensic activation analysis applications to biological materials to date indicates that they may be roughly classified as: (i) the detection and determination of residues of toxic materials in foodstuffs, human tissues, sera and excreta; (ii) the 'individualization' of hair, fibres, narcotics and drugs; and (iii) investigation of the transference of ballistic material to bone, cloth or paper. Analyses of these materials in some actual forensic investigations have been perfected to the point of acceptance in the law courts of several countries. Additional and broader areas of application are under development in a number of nuclear and forensic laboratories. (i) The determination of sub microgram quantities of phosphorus compounds, arsenic, mercury, selenium and thallium in specimens from post-mortem examinations and from living persons showing symptoms of toxicity has revealed certain ingestion of abnormal amount of toxic substances by comparison with similar specimens from healthy persons. In some cases, with tissues such as hair and nails, the time scale of the ingestion of arsenic or mercury has been revealed through the distribution of the deposited element with distance from the growing end or edge. (ii) A series of feasibility studies on the possibility of distinguishing similar materials through their characteristic trace-element patterns have resulted from observations of the wide range or variation in trace impurity content in specimens which come from different individuals or different natural sources. For example, extensive activation analyses for more than twenty elements in human head hair from many people have been carried out and a statistical analysis of the results indicate that activation hair comparisons in forensic investigations may be quite definitive provided sufficient hair sample is available and enough trace constituents are determined. Similar analyses of heroin, opium and marijuana narcotics, synthetic drugs and of fibres have been made in attempts to characterize such materials according to source supply. Methods have been developed for multi-element analyses of blood in order to assess its individuality from person to person. (iii) Wounds, holes in apparel, and deposits on suspects' hands have been identified as arising from gun shots through the detection of increased traces of barium and antimony on bone, skin or on adjacent surface areas and similar techniques have been applied to estimate the distance from a weapon to the target in cases of reputed suicide or homicide. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1967}
month = {Oct}
}
title = {Activation Analysis in Forensic Science. Survey Paper}
author = {Jervis, R. E.}
abstractNote = {Recently the unique features of the activation analysis method have been utilized to advantage to meet some specialized needs in the scientific investigation of crime. A review of the principal forensic activation analysis applications to biological materials to date indicates that they may be roughly classified as: (i) the detection and determination of residues of toxic materials in foodstuffs, human tissues, sera and excreta; (ii) the 'individualization' of hair, fibres, narcotics and drugs; and (iii) investigation of the transference of ballistic material to bone, cloth or paper. Analyses of these materials in some actual forensic investigations have been perfected to the point of acceptance in the law courts of several countries. Additional and broader areas of application are under development in a number of nuclear and forensic laboratories. (i) The determination of sub microgram quantities of phosphorus compounds, arsenic, mercury, selenium and thallium in specimens from post-mortem examinations and from living persons showing symptoms of toxicity has revealed certain ingestion of abnormal amount of toxic substances by comparison with similar specimens from healthy persons. In some cases, with tissues such as hair and nails, the time scale of the ingestion of arsenic or mercury has been revealed through the distribution of the deposited element with distance from the growing end or edge. (ii) A series of feasibility studies on the possibility of distinguishing similar materials through their characteristic trace-element patterns have resulted from observations of the wide range or variation in trace impurity content in specimens which come from different individuals or different natural sources. For example, extensive activation analyses for more than twenty elements in human head hair from many people have been carried out and a statistical analysis of the results indicate that activation hair comparisons in forensic investigations may be quite definitive provided sufficient hair sample is available and enough trace constituents are determined. Similar analyses of heroin, opium and marijuana narcotics, synthetic drugs and of fibres have been made in attempts to characterize such materials according to source supply. Methods have been developed for multi-element analyses of blood in order to assess its individuality from person to person. (iii) Wounds, holes in apparel, and deposits on suspects' hands have been identified as arising from gun shots through the detection of increased traces of barium and antimony on bone, skin or on adjacent surface areas and similar techniques have been applied to estimate the distance from a weapon to the target in cases of reputed suicide or homicide. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1967}
month = {Oct}
}