Detecting organic gunshot residues - a new approach to investigate gun related crimes

In the recent decades the detection of gunshot residues (GSR) solely relied on detecting microscopic inorganic particles containing a characteristic elemental profile of heavy metals (e.g. PbBaSb) while organic traces were widely omitted. Nowadays modern ammunitions use heavy metal free formulations. This makes detection of GSR solely based on methods like SEM/EDS very challenging.

Organic gunshot residues (OGSR) originating from the propellant of a cartridge can be detected by LC-MS. They can support traditional GSR evidence to eludicate gun related crimes. OGSR is currently topic of ongoing efforts in international forensic research.

Presenter: Dr. Rüdiger Schumacher (Federal Criminal Police Office, KT 23 Gunshot residues, Wiesbaden, Germany)