FRS 204: Trace Evidence

 

 

Learning Outcomes

At completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

  1. collect and measure physical properties (such as weight, density, temperature and refractive index) of physical evidences like glass, soil, fibres, hair and liquids;
  2. collect, preserve and forensically analyse soil samples by determining their colour, particle size, colour and chemical composition;
  3. use different analytical techniques to determine chemical composition, pigmentation distribution, and other properties of different types of paints;
  4. collect, preserve, classify, compare and identify natural and synthetic fibres; and,
  5. separate different types of dyes by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Column Chromatographic (CC) techniques.

Course Contents

Physical properties of evidence (temperature, weight, density and refractive index). Physical evidence like soil, glass, fiber, hair and liquids. Forensic examination of glass: composition of glass, measuring and comparing physical properties of glass. Classification of glass samples. Comparison of glass fragments and fractures. Collection and preservation of glass evidence. Forensic analysis and examination of soil– colour, density, size distribution of particles, mineral and chemical analysis of soil. Variations in soil, collection and preservation of soil evidence. Types of paints and their composition, macroscopic and microscopic studies, pigment distribution, micro- chemical analysis- solubility test and other necessary analytical techniques helping in the interpretation of paint evidence. Fibers: classification of fibers and preliminary examination. Identification and comparison of manufactured fibres, significance of match. Collection and