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                            Funding & Awards
 Vibrational Spectroscopy of Gunshot Residue
Award Information
Awardee
              RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE
Award #
              2016-DN-BX-0166
Funding Category
              Competitive Discretionary
Location
                    ALBANY, NY
Congressional District
              20
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2016
Total funding (to date)
              $505,278
Original Solicitation
              Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2016, $505,278)
As submitted by the proposer:
The ultimate long-term goal of this project is to develop a novel, non-destructive, easy-to-use, rapid and on-field technique for the detection and characterization of gunshot residue (GSR) via applied vibrational spectroscopy combined with advanced statistics. This introductory study will work on the characterization of GSR and will target the elucidation of forensically relevant parameters associated with the ammunition which was discharged. Thus, the emerging method targets a link between the GSR recovered from a crime scene, to a specific type (chemical composition or other) of ammunition. However, the capability to eliminate a type of ammunition as generating a crime scene GSR sample must first be accomplished. To achieve these goals, the relationship between the discharged ammunition and their subsequent GSR will be investigated. These investigations will include the chemical analysis of the unburnt ammunition material (propellant and primer mixtures). Ammunition from different manufaturers will be disassembled an the propellant analyzed using Raman and IR. The ammunition will be discharged and the subsequent GSR will be collected. We will investigate the impact of each chemical variation within the ammunition propellant and primers, on their subsequent GSR. The proposed approach is based on the hypothesis that the firearm discharge process can be considered as a complex chemical reaction in which forensically relevant parameters, such as the chemical composition of the propellant and primer represents reagents, and the firearm/ammunition combination determines the reaction conditions. As such, the chemical composition of GSR should depend on the ammunition propellant and primer composition. The end goal of the project targets the ability to identify the specific ammunition which was discharged at a crime scene via GSR analysis. No current or developing method can achieve this goal based upon GSR analysis. Additionally, an approach combining tape lifting and automated Raman microspectroscopic mapping will be investigated as a novel approach for the collection and detection of GSR. This emerging technique has the potential to enhance the evidentiary value of GSR. When fully developed, this combined approach may provide forensic investigators with a new avenue for crime scene shooting incident reconstruction. Vibrational spectroscopy, known for its high selectivity, will be combined with advanced statistical analysis to evaluate the specificity of GSR chemical composition and how it relates to the original ammunition composition.
Note:  This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.
ca/ncf



  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      Stability of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in contaminated fingermarks probed by Raman Spectroscopy: Effect of temperature and time since deposition
                  Detection and identification of drug traces in latent fingermarks using Raman spectroscopy
                  Vibrational Spectroscopy of Gunshot Residue
                  Trends in vibrational spectroscopy of fingermarks for forensic purposes
                  A Novel Two-Step Method for the Detection of Organic Gunshot Residue for Forensic Purposes: Fast Fluorescence Imaging Followed by Raman Microspectroscopic Identification
                  Forensics: Evidence Examination via Raman Spectroscopy
                  Toward Locard's Exchange Principle: Recent Developments in Forensic Trace Evidence Analysis
                  Bloodstains, Paintings, and Drugs Raman Spectroscopy Applications in Forensic Science
                  Bloodstains, Paintings, and Drugs: Raman Spectroscopy Applications in Forensic Science
                  Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy: A Review of Recent Applications in Forensic Science
                  Raman Microspectroscopic Mapping as a Tool for Detection of Gunshot Residue on Adhesive Tape
                  Raman Microspectroscopic Mapping As a Tool for Detection of Gunshot Residue on Adhesive Tape

  
Date Created: September 16, 2016
    
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