U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

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
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.

Grant Number(s)
71-NI-019-G
Sponsoring Agency
US Dept of Justice
Address

United States

US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
Address

810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531, United States

Corporate Author
University of Virginia
Address

Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States

Sale Source
National Institute of Justice/
Address

Box 6000, Dept F, Rockville, MD 20849, United States

Language
English
Country
United States of America