Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

OSAC	Research	Needs Assessment Form

Title	of	research	need:

Keywords:

Submitting subcommittee(s): Date	Approved:

(If	SAC	review	identifies	additional	subcommittees,	add	them	to	the	box	above.)

Background	information:

1.	 Description	of	research	need:

Laboratories	using	SEM/EDS	for	characterization	of	GSR	lack	access	to	standardized	QA/QC	

samples	that	can	gauge	instrument	performance	and	comparability	across	laboratories.		The	

community	needs	access	to	fully	characterized	reference	stubs	that	have	a	known	number	of	

particles,	a	known	number	of	characterized	GSR	(or	GSR	simulant)	particulates	of	known	

particulate	sizes.		The	stubs	would	be	used	as	proficiency	tests	as	well	as instrument	controls	that	

will	allow	labs	to	determine	if	their	procedures	are	performing	adequately	and	comparably.		

However,	this	research	is	foundational	for	development	of	future	validation	and	error	rate	studies.

Development	of	Characterized	Reference	Stubs

GSR,	particulate	size,	reference	material,	instrument	performance,	method	

validation

GSR 11/28/16
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

2.	 Key	bibliographic	references	relating	to	this	research	need:

3a.	In what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	current	laboratory	capabilities?

Reference	stubs	made	specifically	for	GSR	analysis	are	vital	for	establishing	baseline	method	

capabilities,	figures	of	merit,	and	for	QA/QC.		There	currently	are	no	two-component	reference	stubs	

representing	Sinoxid® type	ammunition		and	no	reference	stubs	representing	various	types	of	“nontoxic”,	“lead-free”	ammunition	available.

[1]	A.	Zschunke.	The	Role	of	Reference	Materials	in	Analytical	Chemistry.	Accreditation	and	Quality	Assurance.	2003,	8,	247.

[2]	L.	Niewoehner,	H.	W.	Wenz,	J.	Andrasko,	R.	Beijer	and	L.	Gunaratnam.	Enfsi	Proficiency	Test	Program	on	Identification	of	GSR	by	

SEM/EDX.	J.	Forensic	Sci.	2003,	48,	786.

[3]	J.	M.	Amigo,	G.	Arana,	N.	Etxebarria	and	L.	A.	Fernandez.	Emerging	Needs	for	Sustained	Production	of	Laboratory	Reference	Materials.	

Trac-Trends	Anal.	Chem.	2004,	23,	80.

[4]	H.	Emons,	T.	P.	J.	Linsinger	and	B.	M.	Gawlik.	Reference	Materials:	Terminology	and	Use.	Can't	One	See	the	Forest	for	the	Trees?	TracTrends	Anal.	Chem.	2004,	23,	442.

[5]	M.	Lauwaars	and	E.	Anklam.	Method	Validation	and	Reference	Materials.	Accreditation	and	Quality	Assurance.	2004,	9,	253.

[6]	A.	M.	H.	van	der	Veen.	Trends	in	the	Certification	of	Reference	Materials.	Accreditation	and	Quality	Assurance.	2004,	9,	232.

[7]	U.	Admon,	D.	Donohue,	H.	Aigner,	G.	Tamborini,	O.	Bildstein	and	M.	Betti.	Multiple-Instrument	Analyses	of	Single	Micron-Size	Particles.	

Microsc.	Microanal.	2005,	11,	354.

[8]	L.	Niewoehner,	J.	Andrasko,	J.	Biegstraaten,	L.	Gunaratnam,	S.	Steffen	and	S.	Uhlig.	Maintenance	of	the	ENFSI	Proficiency	Test	Program	

on	Identification	of	GSR	by	SEM/EDX	(GSR2003).	J.	Forensic	Sci.	2005,	50,	877.

[9]	W.	A.	MacCrehan	and	M.	Bedner.	Development	of	a	Smokeless Powder	Reference	Material	for	Propellant	and	Explosives	Analysis.	For.	

Sci	Int.	2006,	163,	119.

[10]	T.	Venelinov	and	A.	Sahuquillo.	Optimizing	the	Uses	and	the	Costs	of	Reference	Materials	in	Analytical	Laboratories.	Trac-Trends	Anal.	

Chem.	2006,	25,	528.

[11]	L.	Niewoehner,	J.	Andrasko,	J.	Biegstraaten,	L.	Gunaratnam,	S.	Steffen,	S.	Uhlig	and	S.	Antoni.	GSR2005	- Continuity	of	the	ENFSI

Proficiency	Test	on	Identification	of	GSR	by	SEM/EDX.	J.	Forensic	Sci.	2008,	53,	162.

[12]	M.	C.	Kline,	D.	L.	Duewer,	J.	C.	Travis,	M.	V.	Smith,	J.	W.	Redman,	P.	M.	Vallone,	A.	E.	Decker	and	J.	M.	Butler.	Production	and	

Certification	of	NIST Standard	Reference	Material	2372	Human	DNA	Quantitation	Standard.	Anal.	Bioanal.	Chem.	2009,	394,	

1183.

[13]	G.	Zappa,	P.	Carconi, R.	Gatti,	A.	D'Alessio,	R.	Di	Bonito,	L.	Mosiello	and	C.	Zoani.	Feasibility	Study	for	the	Development	of	a	TonerReference	Material.	Measurement.	2009,	42,	1491.

[14]	T.	P.	J.	Linsinger,	G.	Roebben,	C.	Solans	and	R.	Ramsch.	Reference	Materials	for	Measuring	the	Size	of	Nanoparticles.	Trac-Trends	Anal.	

Chem.	2011,	30,	18.

[15]	R.	Zeleny	and	H.	Schimmel.	Influence	of	the	Approach	to	Calibration	on	the	Accuracy	and	the	Traceability	of	Certified	Values	in	

Certified	Reference	Materials.	Trac-Trends	Anal.	Chem.	2012,	33,	107.

[16]	J.	E.	T.	Andersen.	On	the	Development	of	Quality	Assurance.	Trac-Trends	Anal.	Chem.	2014,	60,	16.

[17]	N.	G.	R.	Hearns,	D.	N.	Lafleche	and	M.	L.	Sandercock.	Preparation	of	a Ytterbium-Tagged	Gunshot	Residue	Standard	for	Quality	Control	

in	the	Forensic	Analysis	of	GSR.	J.	Forensic	Sci.	2015,	60,	737.
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

3b.		In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	understanding	of	the	scientific	basis	for	the	

subcommittee(s)?

3c.		In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	services	to	the	criminal	justice	system?

4.		Status assessment	(I,	II,	III,	or	IV):		

This	research	need	has	been	identified	by	one	or	more	subcommittees	of	OSAC	and	is	being	provided	as	an	

informational	resource	to	the	community.

Major gap	

in	current	

knowledge

Minor gap	

in	current	

knowledge

No	or	limited

current	research	

is	being	

conducted

I III

Existing current	

research	is	being	

conducted

II IV

The	availability	of	these	reference	stubs	would	help	gauge	method	performance	and	capabilities	

across	laboratories.

By	helping	to	ensure	that	methods	and	instruments	are	working	properly	and	as	per	performance	

specifications	found	in	standardized	methods.	

I
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

// Approval	date:

(Approval	is	by	majority	vote	of	subcommittee.		Once	approved,	forward	to	SAC.)

1.		Does	the	SAC	agree	with	the	research	need?				Yes					 							No							⃝		

2.		Does	the	SAC	agree	with	the	status assessment?				Yes															No							⃝	

If	no,	what	is	the	status assessment	of	the	SAC:

Approval	date:

(Approval	is	by	majority	vote	of	SAC.		Once	approved,	forward	to	NIST	for	posting.)

11/21/16 Subcommittee

SAC

11/28/16