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Senra BP, Ribeiro H, Guedes A. Technical note: Application of Handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometers in forensic analysis of cigarette ash. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 361:112083. [PMID: 38850614 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Cigarettes are part of a collection of objects found everywhere and smoked by a large part of the population. Cigarette butts can be an essential piece of evidence in identifying a certain suspect/witness, as they can suggest the positive identification or exclusion of one or more brands by comparison or even DNA analysis. The main objective of this study is to test the capability of Handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (HHXRF) to analyze the elemental concentration of individual cigarette ash of several tobacco brands and investigate if it is further possible to discriminate the different brands based on their ash's elemental concentration. This study reveals the capability of HHXRF to discriminate tobacco brands based on their ashes' elemental concentration, with the great advantage of the analyses being non-destructive and can be carried out on a small sample. In addition, this equipment can measure the ash's elemental concentrations on-site, allowing for less contamination and sample loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz P Senra
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University Institute of Health Sciences - CESPU, Gandra 4585-116, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Forensics and Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, University Institute of Health Sciences (1H-TOXRUN, IUCS-CESPU), Gandra 4585-116, Portugal.
| | - Helena Ribeiro
- Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings and Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, Porto 4169-007, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Guedes
- Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings and Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, Porto 4169-007, Portugal
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Rosa J, Batista de Carvalho LAE, Marques MPM, Ferreira MT, Gonçalves D, Gil FPSC. XRF identification of sharp-force trauma in fresh and dry human bone under varied experimental heat conditions. Sci Justice 2024; 64:305-313. [PMID: 38735667 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Heat-induced fractures can be hard to distinguish from sharp force traumas. This challenge can negatively impact medico-legal analysis. The present study aimed to experimentally assess if X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can be used to detect chemical traces transferred from the blade of a sharp instrument onto both fresh and dry human bones. This was performed by inducing sharp force traumas with five different instruments on 20 fresh and 20 dry human clavicles. All bone samples were probed before and after experimental burning (at 500 °C, 700 °C, 900 °C and 1100 °C). Our results show that XRF is potentially useful for detecting iron traces in fresh human bone, both unburned and burned. However, we were not able to clearly detect iron traces from the blades in bones that have been previously inhumed, since exogenous iron acquired during diagenesis masks the iron traces originating from the blade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Rosa
- University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Chemistry, Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Luís A E Batista de Carvalho
- University of Coimbra, Department of Chemistry, Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Maria Paula M Marques
- University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Chemistry, Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Maria Teresa Ferreira
- University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - David Gonçalves
- University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; Laboratory of Archaeosciences (LARC/CIBIO/InBIO), Direção-Geral do Património Cultural, Calçada do Mirante à Ajuda n°10A, 1300-418 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Francisco P S C Gil
- University of Coimbra, Department of Chemistry, Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Physics, Centre for Physics of the University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, P-3004-516 Coimbra, Portugal.
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Zeng R, Rossiter DG, Zhao YG, Li DC, Liu F, Zheng GH, Zhang GL. The choice of spectral similarity algorithms influences suspected soil sample provenance. Forensic Sci Int 2023; 347:111688. [PMID: 37068374 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Similarity algorithms are commonly used in soil forensic applications to help identify similar samples from an existing reference library as possible source locations of unknown target samples. These algorithms are well-suited to compare soil spectra. However, different similarity algorithms may lead to different clusters of similar samples, and thus different strengths of evidence in forensic investigations. To quantify this, we conducted a study to evaluate the influence of seven similarity algorithms on soil provenance, using as a sample set a soil spectral library consisting of 280 soil profiles from Anhui Province, China. This library includes three spatial scales of datasets: provincial (DSp), county (DSc) and field (DSf). A set of ten samples covering a wide range of spectra variations were selected from the DSf dataset as the "unknown" samples, with the remaining being used as the reference samples. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate how several commonly-used similarity algorithms, namely Euclidean distance (ED), Mahalanobis distance (MD), Spectral angle mapper (SAM), and Spectral information divergence (SID), as well as variants of several of these measured in standardized principal component space computed from the spectra (ED_PCA, MD_PCA and SAM_PCA), influence the identification of the matched similar samples; (2) determine the overlap in sample selection between different similarity algorithms; (3) propose best practices for similarity algorithms applied to soil forensic analysis using spectroscopy. The use of different similarity algorithms did influence the selection of most similar samples. The similarity algorithms calculated in PC space (ED_PCA, MD_PCA and SAM_PCA) performed slightly better than their counterparts calculated in spectral space. Due to the availability of a detailed spectral library, regardless of the different similarity algorithms used, the matched most similar samples were all located close to the unknowns, mostly within 3 km, with one exception. That is, the varied choices of different similarity algorithms hardly influenced the conclusion of soil provenance in this case. In general, MD_PCA, SAM and ED were the best similarity algorithms overall. However, since there was no single best algorithms for all cases, we recommend the joint use of MD_PCA, SAM and ED as an ensemble. Indications of possible sample provenance from these similarity measured can be useful evidence to complement evidence from other methods in a forensic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Zeng
- School of Geography Science, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, PR China
| | - D G Rossiter
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; ISRIC-World Soil Information, Wageningen 6700 AJ, the Netherlands
| | - Y G Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - D C Li
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - F Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - G H Zheng
- School of Geography Science, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, PR China
| | - G L Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
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Madden C, Pringle JK, Jeffery AJ, Wisniewski KD, Heaton V, Oliver IW, Glanville H, Stimpson IG, Dick HC, Eeley M, Goodwin J. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis of heavy metal contamination in church graveyards with contrasting soil types. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:55278-55292. [PMID: 35318600 PMCID: PMC9356940 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19676-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Human remains have been interred in burial grounds since historic times. Although the re-use of graveyards differs from one country, region or time period to another, over time, graveyard soil may become contaminated or enriched with heavy metal elements. This paper presents heavy metal element soil analysis from two UK church graveyard study sites with contrasting necrosols, but similar burial densities and known burial ages dating back to the sixteenth century and some possibly older than 1,000 years. Portable X-ray fluorescence element laboratory-based analyses were undertaken on surface and near-surface soil pellets. Results show elevated levels of Fe, Pb, Mn, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ca in both necrosols when compared with background values. Element concentration anomalies remained consistently higher than background samples down to 2 m, but reduced with distance away from church buildings. Element concentration anomalies are higher in the clay-rich necrosol than in sandy necrosol. Study result implications suggest that long-used necrosols are likely to be more contaminated with heavy metal elements than similar soil outside graveyards with implications for burial grounds management, adjacent populations and where burial grounds have been deconsecrated and turned to residential dwellings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Madden
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
| | - Jamie K Pringle
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK.
| | - Adam J Jeffery
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
- The Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
| | | | - Vivienne Heaton
- School of Physical & Chemical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
| | - Ian W Oliver
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
| | - Helen Glanville
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
| | - Ian G Stimpson
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
| | - Henry C Dick
- School of Geography, Geology and Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, Staffs, UK
- Met Consultancy Group, Southgate House, Pontefract Road, Leeds, LS10 1SW, UK
| | - Madeleine Eeley
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottinghamshire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Jonathan Goodwin
- Stoke-On-Trent Archaeology Service, Civic Centre, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, UK
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