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Forensic Applications of Sodium Rhodizonate and Hydrochloric Acid: A New Histological Technique for Detection of Gunshot Residues
Author(s) -
Andreola Salvatore,
Gentile Guendalina,
Battistini Alessio,
Cattaneo Cristina,
Zoja Riccardo
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01689.x
Subject(s) - ammunition , hydrochloric acid , chemistry , biomedical engineering , materials science , medicine , inorganic chemistry , metallurgy
Demonstration of the presence of lead residues deriving from gunshot in skin and underlying tissues is essential for the correct forensic analysis of numerous legal cases. Optical microscopy remains the fastest, cheapest diagnostic technique, even though its sensitivity and specificity are poor because of the scarce quantity of histological tissue that can be examined and possible environmental lead pollution. To confirm the presence of lead from gunshot residues, we applied to histological sections of human skin a technique proposed by Owens and George in 1991 for macroscopic detection of lead on the clothing of shooting victims, involving a reaction with sodium rhodizonate and subsequent confirmation by color change on application of HCl. Our results demonstrate the technical possibility of using this macroscopic technique even on histological samples and support the need for further studies on a larger series of cases correlated with the type of ammunition and firing distance.