Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

Fourel, F. (2002) Forensic applications in continuous flow IRMS using the IsoPrime. Presentation at the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) Conference, September 16-17, 2002, http //www.forensic-isotopes. rdg.ac.uk/conl/conf2002.htm (accessed November 20, 2011). 

Carter, IF, Hill, J.C., Doyle, S., Lock, C. (2009) Results of four inter-laboratory comparisons provided by the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) network. Sci. Justice, 49(2), 127-137. 

Croft, D. J. and Pye, K. (2003). The potential use of continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry as a tool in forensic soil analysis A preliminary report. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 17, 2581-2584. 

Gavron A, Smith LE, Ressler JJ (2009) Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res A 602(2) 581-587 Goldberg SA, Richter S, Schwieters H (2002) Improved environmental and forensics measurements using multiple ion counters in isotope ratio mass spectrometry, IAEA-CN-98/3/07. In International conference on advances in destructive and nondestructive analysis for environmental monitoring... 

FORENSIC APPLICATIONS OF ISOTOPE RATIO MASS SPECTROMETRY... 

Scientists respond to this challenge through the on-going evaluation, validation, and implementation of new techniques. The techniques may be new and emerging or established in other scientific disciplines but novel to the forensic industry. Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is such a technique that has established applications in other scientific fields, in particular geochemistry however, the application to forensic science is relatively novel. 

Reprinted from Benson, S., Lennard, C, Maynard, R, Roux, C. (2006) Forensic applications of isotope ratio mass spectrometry—a review. Forensic Sci. Int., 157(1), 1-22, with permission from Elsevier [1]. 

Meier-Augenstein,W., Liu, R.H. (2004) Forensic applications of isotope ratio mass spectrometry. In Advances in Forensic Applications of Mass Spectrometry, edited by Yinon, J. Boca Raton, FL CRC Press, pp. 149-180. 

Phillips, S.A., Doyle, S., Philp, L., Coleman, M. (2003) Proceedings network developing forensic applications of stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry conference 2002. Sci. Justice, 43(3), 153-160. 

Bell, L.S., Lee-Thorp, J.A., Dobney, K. (2006) Mapping human movement using stable oxygen isotopic ratio mass spectrometry potential application to forensic science demonstrated by a modern horse-human study. Can. Soc. Forensic Sci. J.,39(2), 47-54. 

Taylor, E., Carter, J.F., Hill, J.C., Morton, C., Daeid, N.N., Sleeman, R. (2008) Stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry and physical comparison for the forensic examination of grip-seal plastic bags. Forensic Sci. Int, 177(2-3), 214-220. 

Farmer, N.L., Meier-Augensteiu, W., Kalin, R.M. (2005) Stable isotope analysis of safety matches using isotope ratio mass spectrometry—a forensic case study. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom., 19, 3182-3186. 

Roelofse, E, Horstmann, U.E. (2008) A case study on the application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) in determining the provenance of a rock used in an alleged nickel switching incident. Forensic Sci. Int. 174(1), 64-67. 

Benson, S.I, Lennard, C.J., Maynard, R, Hfll, D.M., Andrew, A.S., Roux, C. (2009) Forensic analysis of explosives using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS)— discrimination of ammonium nitrate sources. Sci. Justice, 49(2), 73-80. 

The use of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to compare the ratios of light atom isotopes in samples of forensic interest is finding increased importance. A recent report by Benson et al. details the use of IRMS to differentiate between samples of TATP that were prepared under differing conditions and from different precursors [61]. A three-dimensional plot of the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen data clearly showed four clusters corresponding to the different sample sets. 

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