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Molybdenum in Gunshot Residue: Experimental Evidences and Detection Challenges in the Presence of Lead and Sulfur

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2021

Felice Nunziata Open the ORCID record for Felice Nunziata [Opens in a new window] ,
Francesco Saverio Romolo ,
Bryan Burnett ,
Luigi Manna ,
Stefano Orsenigo  and
Matteo Donghi Open the ORCID record for Matteo Donghi [Opens in a new window]
Felice Nunziata
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università degli studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, viale Lincoln 5, 81100Caserta, Italy
Francesco Saverio Romolo*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza, Università degli studi di Bergamo, via Moroni 255, 24127Bergamo, Italy
Bryan Burnett
Affiliation:
Meixa Tech, 1624 Debann Road, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA92007, USA
Luigi Manna
Affiliation:
Arma dei Carabinieri, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche di Parma, Parco Ducale 3, 43125Parma, Italy
Stefano Orsenigo
Affiliation:
Arma dei Carabinieri, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche di Parma, Parco Ducale 3, 43125Parma, Italy
Matteo Donghi
Affiliation:
Arma dei Carabinieri, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche di Parma, Parco Ducale 3, 43125Parma, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence: Francesco Saverio Romolo, E-mail: francescosaverio.romolo@unibg.it
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Abstract

Inorganic gunshot residue (GSR) analysis is carried out by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) in many forensic laboratories. Characteristic GSR often consists of lead–barium–antimony, commonly associated with sulfur. The strength of forensic GSR evidence increases when unusual elements are found in residues collected both from the suspect and from the discharged firearm. The presence of molybdenum in GSR, due to the use of MoS2 lubricants in firearms, is experimentally demonstrated here for the first time. The most intense molybdenum X-ray emissions are MoL peaks at 2.3 keV which overlap with PbM and SK families due to the poor resolution of EDS detectors. When Pb, S, and Mo are allegedly present in the same particle, the reliability of automatic EDS routines is at risk. Missing identifications or false detections and exclusions may then occur. Molybdenum should be considered as detected only if MoK emissions meet the peak-to-background ratio minimum requirements. A strategy to spot Mo-containing residues is described, based on the automated search of MoS2, using a new “Sulfur only” class added to the classification scheme, followed by careful manual review of all GSR particles at an acceleration voltage of 30 kV. Our proposal improves commonly adopted forensic procedures currently followed in casework.

Keywords

firearm lubricantforensic sciencesgunshot residue (GSR)molybdenumpeak overlapping
Type
Materials Science Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 27 , Issue 4 , August 2021 , pp. 666 - 677
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Microscopy Society of America

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