ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY ANALYSIS OF BLACKNED BULLET RESIDUE PATTERNS

ABSTRACT: The presence of antimony, lead, barium, nickel, copper and silicon or combinations of these elements at the scene of crime can confirm whether firing has taken place or not. In this paper, laboratory test firings were carried out at a target consisting in a paper and glass layers using.315"/8 mm calibre ammunition and an Indian sporting rifle. Blackened bullet residue particles obtained in this manner found on a paper target supported by various thicknesses of window panes were studied. A very large percentage of blackened bullet residue particles containing lead, antimony and siliconwere found in these tests. Samples taken from the surface of the paper target were examined by means of a scanning electron microscope cou-pled with an energy dispersive X-ray analyser (SEM-EDX). Observations relating to forensic problems, such as proximity between the shooter and the windowpane target, size of hole, direction of firing etc. are elabo-rately discussed in relation to the blackened bullet residue pattern. Bullet residue giving the appearance of blackening found on one of two layers of a target could be confusing to the forensic ballistics expert at the crime scene it could be wrongly in-terpreted as powder pattern. The current study was undertaken in order to avoid suchmistakes in cases of using.315"/8 mm calibre ammunition and an Indian sport-ing rifle