Lead(Pb) of gunshot residues(GSR) originating from bullets and primers was quantified using a simple sampling kit and Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer(WDXF).
  It could be detected by the Pb Lβ spectrum easily and non destructively in two minutes.
  Linearity of quantification was obtained within the total quantity range of 0.05-2.00 μg.
  This method is a direct tape-lift technique, which is dabbed to collect GSR on a hand or a sleeve. The sampling kit consisted of a 12-mm diameter adhesive tape in polyethylene reinforced paper.
  The Pb on the sleeve made of cotton was 0.12 μg, which was about 17% of that usually found on a hand immediately after one firing of a .38 S & W revolver.
  Pb could be detected on the hand three hours and on the sleeve twelve hours after three bullets were fired. And GSR particles consisting of lead (Pb), barium (Ba) and antimony (Sb) could be found on them by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis(SEM/EDX).
  Therefore, it was shown that this method is useful to screen samples for GSR particles of the three elements.

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  We have investigated the usefulness of on-site detection technique using flow cytometer for the screening of bacteria. The machine, “MICROCYTE”, used in this experiment provides us with the information of size (positional indication 1-240, 0.4-15 μm) and number of particles in the sample solution. Four vegetative bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis) showed a similar flow cytometric distribution pattern of the peak center of about 40, and the particle numbers were 10¹¹-10¹² cells per wet volume (g). The spores of Bacillus subtilis and dry yeast showed somewhat larger particles (peak center: 103 and 193). The flow cytometric patterns of “white powder”, wheat flour, starch and detergent were quite different from those of bacteria. The patterns of pepper, soybean flour, sugar and chalk were similar to those of bacteria, but particle numbers per wet volume were quite few, compared to those of bacteria. From the sample of salt, only very few particles were observed. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish such white powders from bacteria in their flow cytometric distribution patterns. The flow cytometric pattern of the mixed solution of bacteria and white powders showed the presence of bacteria clearly. The autoclave treatment shifted the histogramic position to the smaller size, and decreased the particle number, but still made it possible to detect bacteria.

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  The authors experimentally attempted to identify a “faceprint” on a vehicle's airbag using a 2D/3D superimposition technique. An airbag model was designed as an imitation of the vehicle's expanded airbag. Latent face impressions were made from 8 subjects by hitting the face against the airbag model. The 2D “faceprint” images on the airbag model were visualized by the CA-VPB method. The 3D facial images of 8 subjects were obtained using a 3D physiognomic range finder (Fiore, NEC). To make the comparison between the 2D “faceprint” and the 3D facial images, a proprietary software (3D-Rugle 3, Medic Engineering) for 2D/ 3D superimposition was used, and a total of 64 superimpositions were assessed. The “faceprint” could be identified to some degree based on the comparison of positional relationships of anatomical landmarks and morphological characteristics between the 2D “faceprint” and the 3D facial images. Some landmarks on the 3D facial image did not correspond to those on the “faceprint” image even in the same person because the general facial image such as the facial photograph and 3D facial image is the projective image of the face whereas a “faceprint” image is nearly the expanded image of face. The results obtained suggested that it was difficult to decisively identify the “faceprint” with certainty. In a limited situation as in a vehicle, however, it was considered that this method might distinguish the “faceprint” of faces of the driver and passengers. In order to improve the reliability of personal identification using this method, additional criteria including numerical indices need to be established.

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  We would like to report a new method to discriminate the causes of fires by evaluating the graphitizability of electric plugs left at fire venues. This method employs heat treatment of the plug resins at 3000°C and X-ray diffraction measurement to evaluate the crystallinity of the heat treated plug resins. The principle of this method is based on the fact that the thermal history of organic materials under the influence of oxygen determines their graphitizability. Four types of samples were prepared from a poly (vinyl chloride) electric plug to simulate two cases, one where electric troubles around the plug was immediate causes of the fire (immediate case) and one where the electric plugs were passively involved by the fire (passive case). 3000°C heat treatment provided different graphitizability between the two types of samples, i.e. the immediate case sample was disordered carbon, while the passive case sample was finely ordered graphite. The finding shows that this method is a promising method to discriminate the causes of fires.

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  The detection performance of an Environics OY M90 chemical warfare agent detector was investigated with nerve gases, blister agents, blood agents and related compounds. The vapors of sarin, soman, tabun, dimethylmethylphosphonate and also acetone were recognized as “NERVE”, those of mustard gas, lewisite 1 and also 2-mercaptoethanol as “BLISTER”, and those of hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen chloride as “NERVE” or none and not as “BLOOD”. Neither the vapors of solvents, such as methanol and n-hexane, nor the mixture of sarin and acetone, both of which were recognized as “NERVE”, were categorized as any chemical agent. The time from the sample drawing until the alarm indication varied with the species of chemicals, from a few seconds for sarin to a half minute for lewisite 1. Except for mustard gas, once chemical agents were drawn into the detector for two minutes, the alarm indication continued for longer than 10 minutes and it took several minutes for the maximum intensity to be reduce by half.

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  To evaluate the system of the QIAamp DNA mini kit, supplemented by QIAGEN for DNA extraction, we carried out a comparison of amounts of extracted DNA from various forensic samples. Furthermore, bloodstains were made with 2 μl blood on each of six substrata such as blue denim, wool, mixed spinning, rush (tatami), wood (paulownia), wood (half-split chopsticks), and DNA was extracted from all specimens one day after the specimen preparation. The amount of extracted DNA was estimated by amplified sample peak using of the AmpFL STR profiler kit. The pure DNA were extracted from blood, bloodstain and other forensic samples. However, the amount of extracted DNA by the kit was generally less than that of extracted DNA by the Phenol-Chloroform extraction method, especially for a small sample. In order to obtain enough template DNA with the kit, it is necessary to apply the elution buffer several times on the column. The extracted DNA with the QIAamp DNA mini kit from all the substrata and old bone did not inhibit PCR amplification. We conclude that this DNA extraction system is convenient and valuable for forensic practice.

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  At present, the footprint identification is conducted by the number of distinguishing characteristics point in the footprint. Life size footprints photos were usually used and magnified footprints photos were seldom used.
  If these characteristics parts were magnified and showed minute distinguishing marks more evidential values could be added to them.
  The method developed in this paper was to take pictures of magnified characteristic parts of both footprints retrieved at a crime scene and ones taken from shoes themselves in the same magnifying power, followed by enlarging photos from the negatives and comparing the minute distinguishing marks by superimposition.
  This method enables us to make magnified footprints photos of about 5 to 30 magnifications easily in a short time.
  By inspecting the magnified footprint photos, it was proved that one part which was simply evaluated as one characteristic in the present method actually had many distinguishing marks.

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  The purpose of this study is to apply coumarin as an oil marker to discriminate oils in forensic sciences. Phthalate esters and diethyl ethereal extracts of polyvinyl chloride covers of electric cords, which contain the compounds as plasticizers, were tested for coumarin using fluorescence spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector. The analytical results showed that coumarin was detected as a trace of impurity in the phthalate esters such as di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and the concentrated extracts of the covers of the cords. Accordingly, coumarin must not be used as the oil marker for forensic discrimination of kerosene, gas oil, and fuel oil A when the solvent extracts of plastics containing phthalate esters are concentrated and analyzed for proof of arson caused by use of the oils. However, coumarin can be applied as the oil marker to liquid oil samples analyzable without extracting and concentrating because the compound is not detected as an impurity in the samples.

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  Mixed-mode solid-phase extraction methods were compared for drug screening, prior to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and/or liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The extractions with Oasis^® MCX, ISOLUTE^® HCX and Bond Elut Certify^® were evaluated by recoveries of acetaminophen, bromvalerylurea, phenobarbital, pentobarbital, amobarbital, chlorpromazine, levomepromazine, promethazine, flunitrazepam, and nitrazepam from human serum. The recoveries were low (0% to 42%) with Bond Elut Certify^® for drugs examined except for bromvalerylurea (117%). The recoveries with ISOLUTE^® HCX were high (80% to 110%) for all drugs except acetaminophen (33%). The recoveries with Oasis^® MCX ranged from 54% to 116% for all drugs including acetaminophen (111%) by using acetonitrile as eluting solvents. The detection limit of each compound ranged 5 to 50 ng on column under scan modes of GC/MS or LC/MS and 0.05 to 0.5 ng on column under SIM modes.
  This study suggests that Oasis^® MCX is a suitable disposable cartridge in routine drug screening in forensic toxicological analysis.

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  Application of acid elution to absorption-elution test for ABO blood-typing using commercial monoclonal antibodies was described. Collodion plates to fix blood or body fluid samples were introduced for the convenience of treatment of a lot of test samples. For evaluating the optimum elution condition, the amounts of the antibodies eluted were semi-quantitatively determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The optimum pH for elution was between 3.0 and 3.5 and a remarkable deactivation of antibodies under strong acid condition was observed. Therefore, the accurate pH control was required for effective elution. Elution time was decided at 10 min because the active antibodies were eluted within a few minutes and were maintained during subsequent 20 min. Under these optimum conditions, the absorption-elution test with indicator cells was achieved using some antibodies suitable for acid elution. We also obtained a good result at the preliminary test for an automatic blood-typing system using collodion plate and the acid elution method combined with ELISA. The technique described in this report was considered to be helpful to establish a full automatic blood-typing system for forensic specimen.

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