U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 Analytical Validation and Impact Assessment of On-Site Evidence Screening via Ambient Sampling, Portable Mass Spectrometry
Award Information
Awardee
              Illinois State University
Award #
              2015-IJ-CX-K011
Funding Category
              Competitive
Location
                    Normal, IL
Congressional District
              13
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2015
Total funding (to date)
              $299,753
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 15 Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2015, $299,753)
As submitted by the applicant: Forensic evidentiary backlogs are indicative of the growing need for cost-effective, high-throughput instrumental methods. One such emerging technology that shows high promise in meeting this need, while also allowing on-site investigation, is portable mass spectrometric instrumentation, particularly that which enables the coupling to rapid, ambient ionization methods. Such technology has the potential to assess the probative value of chemical evidence at the crime scene, requiring only pertinent samples to be sent to off-site laboratories for confirmation, easing the burden of casework and therefore reducing the magnitude of backlogged evidence. Screening of physical evidence at the crime scene also has the capability to rapidly determine whether a criminal  investigation  is  needed  and  provide  law  enforcement  personnel  with  necessary information in a timely manner, which in many cases is crucial.

Herein, rapid, direct evidence screening methods will be investigated on a commercially- available, portable mass spectrometer, culminating in a fieldable instrument that is simplistic in operation,  yet  robust  to  the  needs  of  todays  forensic  and  law  enforcement  practitioners. Application to emerging drug classes and toxicological assessments will be investigated, and rigorous analytical validation using common illicit chemicals will be performed to ensure that reliable and reproducible usage by non-technical operators is feasible. Current and past case law will be examined to evaluate Fourth Amendment legality of using this technology to prompt a probable cause search. The financial viability of instrument-based probative and confirmatory analysis of forensic evidence in the field over current off-site laboratory processing will also be assessed using fiscal-impact models.  The proposed interdisciplinary research is designed to not just anticipate, but to predetermine the legal and economic impacts stemming from adopting this technology for field usage to help inform and guide forensic science policy and practice.

Principle  research  questions  that  will  be  addressed  in  order  to  assess  feasibility, performance, and potential impact of the proposed technology include the following: (i) Can the proposed technology be adapted for routine and reliable usage by non-technical operators?  (ii) Is the analytical performance of the technology on par with currently established methods for forensic evidence processing? (iii) Can the technology be used to prompt probable cause searching by law enforcement in innovative, yet legal, ways? (iv)What are the financial benefits of the proposed technology in comparison to current practices? (v) What is the expected reduction in controlled substances requests under the proposed system and the subsequent expected reduction in evidence backlogs?

This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.

ca/ncf



  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      Assessing the environmental ruggedness of paper spray ionization (PSI) coupled to a portable mass spectrometer operated under field conditions
                  FIELDABLE MASS SPECTROMETRY FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE, HOMELAND SECURITY, AND DEFENSE APPLICATIONS
                  Filter Cone Spray Ionization Coupled to a Portable MS System: Application to On-Site Forensic Evidence and Environmental Sample Analysis
                  The Fourth Amendment and the Potential Use of Field-Portable Mass Spectrometry Systems in Law Enforcement
                  Analytical Validation and Impact Assessment of On-Site Evidence Screening via Ambient Sampling, Portable Mass Spectrometry
                  A Low-Cost, Simplified Platform of Interchangeable, Ambient Ionization Sources for Rapid, Forensic Evidence Screening on Portable Mass Spectrometric Instrumentation
                  Analytical Validation of a Portable Mass Spectrometer Featuring Interchangeable, Ambient Ionization Sources for High Throughput Forensic Evidence Screening
                  Balancing the Utility and Legality of Implementing Portable Mass Spectrometers Coupled With Ambient Ionization in Routine Law Enforcement Activities
                  Trace-Level Screening of Chemicals Related to Clandestine Desomorphine Production With Ambient Sampling, Portable Mass Spectrometry

  
Date Created: September 21, 2015
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      NIJ Innovations in Measuring Community Perceptions Challenge Winner: Community PoliSense
                  Exploring how survivor perspectives and priorities are reflected in the use and implementation of Extreme Risk Protective Orders to address intimate partner violence
                  "Examining the Effects of Back-End Release Discretion on Prison Populations and Length of Stay: A State-by-State Analysis"
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov