Forensic Examination of Trace Evidence (2011)

This work is designed as an introductory-intermediate course to the forensic examination of trace evidence and is a version of the live hands-on training workshops offered at FIU in 2011 and 2012. The purpose of this online version is to disseminate the training material to forensic examiners.

Learn more about our laboratory and training facilities, forensic science education, or enroll yourself in the same training that real CSIs use!

Workshop Topics

Elemental analysis of forensic evidence - This course reviews the basic principles and practical aspects of the application of different techniques for forensic elemental analysis of trace evidence, including XRF, SEM-EDS, ICP-MS, LA-ICP-MS and LIBS. A critical evaluation of the limitations and capabilities of these techniques, such as sampling procedures, sample preparation methods, quality control, data analysis and interpretation of results, is included. Lectures will include a review of the fundamentals of the above techniques and their application to the analysis of different trace evidence such as glass, paint, soil and biological matrices. The course will be focused on forensic aspects of statistical data, treatment match criteria, and interpretation of elemental analysis.

Examination and comparison of glass evidence - This course will be suitable as an introduction to forensic examiners with no or little experience in glass analysis, and also as a continuing education tool for intermediate-level examiners. Following the completion of these online materials, participants will be familiar with theoretical and practical aspects of different techniques for the forensic analysis of glass such as refractive index (GRIM), XRF, LIBS, LA-ICP-MS, and ICP-MS.

Forensic examination of paint, tapes and adhesives - This course will be suitable as an introduction to forensic examiners with some experience in polymer, paint, and adhesive analysis and also as a continuing education tool for intermediate-level examiners. This course will provide a thorough introduction to forensic examination of these materials including fundamentals on instrumental analysis (FTIR, XRD, XRF, SEM, ICP methods, Pyr-GCMS, microscopy), handling and sample preparation, manufacture and composition, end-use applications, terminology, ASTM and SWGMAT standard methods of analysis, interpretation and evidential significance, validation studies on discrimination power, databases and sample collections, report writing, interpretation and expert opinion.

Mass spectrometry for forensic scientists - This course will be suitable as an introduction to forensic examiners with some experience in mass spectrometry and also as a continuing education tool for advanced-level examiners. This workshop offers a basic description of the processes and techniques involved in creating, controlling and measuring elemental or molecular ionic species by mass spectrometry techniques and its application to forensic sample analyses. Topics covered in the course include:

Theory of mass spectrometry
Methods of ionization
Instrument Design and Operation
Combined Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry
Quantitative aspects of mass spectrometry.

Case studies are also presented to exemplify some of the applications of mass spectrometry to trace evidence and forensic science.

Access Materials

FIU Faculty, Staff, and Students

Click this catalog link
Click "Authenticate" and enter your FIU username and password
Select on the left-hand side any of the following courses in the Trace Evidence Analysis Facility folder:
- Elemental Analysis of Forensic Evidence with a Focus on Interpretation of the Evidence
- Forensic Examination of Glass Evidence
- Forensic Examination of Paint, Tapes and Adhesives
- Mass Spectrometry for Forensic Scientists
Click the icon on the right-hand side to listen to any of the videos/lectures

Visitors

Email almirall@fiu.edu to request your password and username
Click this catalog link
Click "Use a Mediasite login" and enter your username and password
Select on the left-hand side any of the following courses in the Trace Evidence Analysis Facility folder:
- Elemental Analysis of Forensic Evidence with a Focus on Interpretation of the Evidence
- Forensic Examination of Glass Evidence
- Forensic Examination of Paint, Tapes and Adhesives
- Mass Spectrometry for Forensic Scientists
Click the icon on the right-hand side to listen to any of the videos/lectures

Instructor

Contact Dr. Almirall with any questions or requests for additional materials:

Jose Almirall Professor; Director, Center for Advanced Research in Forensic Science; Director, Trace Evidence Analysis Facility
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Office: AHC4 361
Phone: 305-348-3917
Email: almirall@fiu.edu
Specialty: Director, Trace Evidence Analysis Facility

These training materials are published as part of the dissemination strategies for a National Institute of Justice grant (2010-DN-BX-K264, Instrumental Analysis of Trace Evidence Workshops) awarded to Florida International University.

Copyright Notice - The documents and videos presented here are copyrighted material (Jose Almirall and Tatiana Trejos, FIU). You are not allowed to download or distribute video-materials; you may display them from this current link. You are free to display, print and distribute the course material under the following conditions:

Attribution: you must attribute/reference the work in the following manner: “this work was created and published by Jose R. Almirall and Tatiana Trejos, International Forensic Research Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami FL, 2013”.
Noncommercial: you may not use this work for commercial purposes.
Share alike: If you alter, transform or build upon this work, you must clearly state the original source. For any reuse or distribution you must make clear to others the license terms of this work and attribution.

Federal Disclaimer and Notice of Federal Funding - This website's training sources are funded in part through a grant from the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies and any services or tools provided). This Web site was produced by FIU under contract number 2010-DN-BX-K264, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Web site are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Likewise, the opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website are those of the contributors/instructors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of their corresponding federal agencies.