Science & Justice
Volume 49, Issue 2 , Pages 73-80 , June 2009

Forensic analysis of explosives using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) — Discrimination of ammonium nitrate sources

  • Sarah J. Benson

      Affiliations

    • Forensic & Data Centres, Australian Federal Police, GPO Box 401, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia
    • Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway 2007, NSW, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Australian Federal Police, GPO Box 401, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 6223 3386; fax: +61 2 6223 3270.
    • ,
  • Christopher J. Lennard

      Affiliations

    • Forensic & Data Centres, Australian Federal Police, GPO Box 401, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia
    • National Centre for Forensic Studies, University of Canberra, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia
    • ,
  • Philip Maynard

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway 2007, NSW, Australia
    • ,
  • David M. Hill

      Affiliations

    • Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, NSW, Australia
    • ,
  • Anita S. Andrew

      Affiliations

    • Environmental Isotopes Pty. Ltd., PO Box 1492, Macquarie Centre 2113, NSW, Australia
    • ,
  • Claude Roux

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway 2007, NSW, Australia

Received 22 November 2008 ,Revised 6 April 2009 ,Accepted 6 April 2009.

References 

  1. Akhavan J. The Chemistry of Explosives. 2nd Edition. UK: The Royal Society of Chemistry; 2004;
  2. Benson S, Lennard C, Maynard P, Roux C. Forensic applications of isotope ratio mass spectrometry — a review. Forensic Sci. Int. 2006;157(1):1–22
  3. P.S. Wright, Elemental Profiling of Ammonium Nitrate by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Honours Project Thesis — Department of Chemistry, Materials and Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney (2004).
  4. Jakobsen HJ, Hove AR, Hazell RG, Bildsøe H, Skibsted J. Solid-state 14N MAN NMR of ammonium ions as a spy to structural insights for ammonium salts. Magn. Reson. Chem. 2006;44:348–356
  5. Burns DT, Lewis RJ, Bridges J. Systematic approach to the identification of water-gel explosives. Anal. Chim. Acta. 1998;375:255–260
  6. Wakelin D. Isotopic Ratio Analysis of Explosives Traces — A New Type of Evidence. December 2000;United Kingdom Defence Evaluation and Research Agency report DERA/CES/CS/CR000294
  7. Wakelin D. Isotopic Ratio Analysis of Explosives Traces — A New Type of Evidence Part 2. April 2001;United Kingdom Defence Evaluation and Research Agency report DERA/DSTL/CR00569
  8. Phillips SA, Doyle S, Philp L, Coleman M. Proceedings: network developing forensic applications of stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry Conference 2002. Sci. Justice. 2003;43(3):153–160
  9. M.J. Lott, J. Howa, J.R. Ehleringer, Locating the origins of explosives through stable isotope ratio analysis, Poster at the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) Conference, 16–17 September 2002 (http://www.forensic-isotopes.rdg.ac.uk/conf/conf2002.htm). Accessed on 29 January 2008.
  10. R.R. McGuire, C.G. Lee, C.A. Velsko, E. Raber, Application of stable isotope ratios to the analysis of explosive residues, Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on the Analysis and Detection of Explosives Washington, DC, 4–8 December (1995).
  11. Wakelin D. Isotopic ratio analysis of explosives traces — a new type of evidence Part 2. April 2001;United Kingdom Defence Evaluation and Research Agency report DERA/DSTL/CR00569
  12. S. Benson, Introduction of Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) for the Forensic Analysis of Explosives. University of Technology, Sydney PhD Thesis (2009).
  13. National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA). Requirements for the format and content of test methods and recommended procedures for the validation of chemical test methods. Technical Note 17, December 1998 http://www.nata.com.au/index.cfm?objectid=DBCABA6C-B07C-AD52-0EB6E2E877F61885&productId=0870D30D-BFF6-8A3C-4DC15F62FD07C8D4.
  14. National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA). Guidelines for estimating and reporting measurement uncertainty of chemical test results. Technical Note 33 — June 2006. http://www.nata.asn.au/index.cfm?objectid=DBCABA6C-B07C-AD52-0EB6E2E877F61885&productId=372DE8CF-08C7-B791-82D9BCFE521BC83E.

PII: S1355-0306(09)00065-3

doi: 10.1016/j.scijus.2009.04.005

Science & Justice
Volume 49, Issue 2 , Pages 73-80 , June 2009

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