title: Detection of recent holding of firearms: improving the sensitivity of the PDT test.
abstract: Despite the significant improvement of the PDT test for detecting recent contact with firearms, there are still many occasions in which the modified reagent (Ferrotrace™) shows insufficient sensitivity. Two techniques have been devised and tested for the enhancement of the sensitivity of this process: exposure to water vapors and accelerated sweating. Exposure of the hand to water vapors after spraying with the reagent significantly improved the quality of the colored impressions. The average increase was by 1 quality-grade (on an arbitrary scale of 4 grades). The technique is very simple and does not require any particular skill or equipment. Mechanistic aspects of the process are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Casali Center for Applied Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel. Electronic address: almog@mail.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Almog
authors.affiliation: Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Karni L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bar-Or
authors.affiliation: Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police HQ, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Amihud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leifer
authors.affiliation: Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police HQ, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Delbar
authors.affiliation: Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police HQ, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yinon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Harush-Brosh
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D005389:Firearms; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013542:Sweat; D014227:Triazines; D014835:Volatilization; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D014227:Triazines; D014867:Water; C044359:3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine; C033413:dimethyl ether; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Ferrotrace™; Firearms; Iron complexation; Palmar sweat; Pyridyldiphenyl triazine (PDT); Trace metal detection test (TMDT)