By developing sampling method, quantitative analysis of inorganic shooting residues (antimone) by electro thermal atomic absorption spectrometers and the efficiency of the method

Shooting residue analysis is an important tool in finding the perpetrators of suicide, wounding and killing with a firearm, and shooting in the residential area, allowing to go from the evidence to the accused. When it comes to Firing Residues (GSR), Inorganic Firing Residues (IGSR) containing Antimony, Barium and Lead usually come to mind. In particular, Antimony is frequently preferred due to its limited area of use, low cost and determining feature in shot residues. It has led to an increase in the production of new generation modern cartridges, which do not contain Barium, Lead and Antimony, as they cause less harm to the environment. In the evaluation of the results with the analyzes made using the electron microscope device, important problems are encountered such as the uncertainty about the transfer and amount of some shot residues, and the inability to create shot residue combinations. This situation accelerated the development of new methods and brought the idea to the fore that Organic Shot Residues (OGSR) analyzes could be performed as well as Inorganic Shot Residues analyses. It is known that a significant part of the organic compounds in the OGSR are analyzed using liquid chromatography devices such as Liquid Chromatography Sequential Mass Spectrometer (LC-MSMS). Considering that the results of the OGSR analysis are the first evidence and the results of the analysis of the shot residues of the antimony-containing cartridges are the second evidence, method development studies have been carried out. In our study, shots were made in the same ambient conditions and parameters. After the shots were made, swabs were taken from the hands of the shooter using a plaster tape. Analysis samples of the swabs taken in our first study were prepared using nitric acid. Quantitative analyzes of IGSR Antimony were made using Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (ET-AAS). In our second study, after using the sampling method for OGSR, which we developed in the swabs taken from the hands of the shooter as a result of the shots made as stated above, quantitative analyzes of IGSR and Antimony were carried out by using the method and device in our first study. Method efficiencies were calculated by comparing the results of both studies.