Forensic Microscopy in Elsevier’s Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Reference Module

Abstract

The field of forensic microscopy is based upon Edmond Locard’s exchange principle, which states that when two objects come into contact, a transfer of material will result. Although the amount of material that is transferred in a contact may be minute, microscopical examination can often reveal a great amount of information regarding the materials that came into contact and the way in which they made contact. This article illustrates the way in which forensic microscopy can capitalize on this transfer of material to aid in establishing the facts within a criminal investigation and describe the types of problems that are addressed, the types of materials encountered, and the analytical approach used to extract information from trace evidence. Finally, a practical example that illustrates the extent to which microscopic evidence can influence the outcome of a case will be described.

Palenik C.S., Palenik S.J. and Groves E. (2014) Forensic Microscopy. In: Reedijk, J. (Ed.) Elsevier
Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering. Waltham, MA:
Elsevier. 07-Aug-14 doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-409547-2.11426-X.

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