Citation

Takahashi M, Kinoshita H, Nishiguchi M, Nishio H. Leg. Med. (Elsevier) 2010; 12(2): 102-103.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Japanese Society of Legal Medicine, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.12.003

PMID

20110190

Abstract

Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDX) enables rapid, non-destructive, multi-elemental analysis. Using EDX, lead and some other metallic elements were detected in paraffin-blocks in which skin samples from a gunshot wound were embedded. Lead was not identified in control samples from non-injured cases. These findings indicate that EDX is a useful method for rapid non-destructive analysis of paraffin-embedded blocks. This technique can provide scientific evidence for identification of a firearm even after storing the sample for a long time.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Male; Suicide; Japan; Wounds, Gunshot; Metals; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Finite Element Analysis; Paraffin Embedding