Examination of Firearms Review: 2007 to 2010 - Interpol

complete set of small-molecule metabolites to be found within a biological
sample – analysed by high pressure liquid chromatography with UV detection
(HPLC-UV), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and 1 H
NMR spectroscopy. 125
5.3.3 Radiological and nuclear
“Nuclear forensics” is the branch of science that seeks to examine the nature,
use and origin of intercepted illicit nuclear or radioactive materials. 126,127 The
analysis seeks to produce a characteristic energetic “signature” for the
material as evidence for attribution. It can be applied to investigations
involving the malevolent use of nuclear materials and is instrumental in
determining adherence to international safeguards for illicit trafficking.
Nuclear forensic analyses are also essential to determine the origin of the
radioactive material.
New methods for the detection of previous neutron irradiation and
reprocessing of illicit nuclear materials have been reported for the
characterisation of nuclear materials of unknown origin in nuclear forensics.
Alpha spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma sector-field mass
spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) were used to measure traces of uranium and
plutonium isotopes derived from previous neutron irradiation of uraniumcontaining
nuclear materials. 128 A similar laser ablation assisted inductively
coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for the rapid
classification of nuclear forensic evidence based on uranium isotopic
composition of seized samples. 129
Confirmation of the origin of a plutonium sample found in Hanford USA in
2004 as being the X-10 reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was obtained from
the analytical results of minor actinide isotopes and reactor model
simulations. 130
5.4 Impact of CBRN agents on standard forensic evidence
The CBRN agents themselves, particularly radiological and chemical agents,
can damage or destroy critical evidence, including biological evidence (DNA,
hair, fingerprints), as well as documents, computer data and other reactive
material. Standard forensic analysis for DNA, fingerprints, handwriting from
evidence gathered from a CBRN crime scene will be unsafe if evidence is not
handled with physical protection or decontaminated.
It has been shown that DNA can be safely recovered from blood samples
having been exposed to chemical agents – sulphur mustard, sodium
fluoroacetate, sarin and diazinon – after extraction of the sample, 131 although
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