Practical Forensic Microscopy: A Laboratory Manual

by Barbara Wheeler (Eastern Kentucky University); Lori J. Wilson (Eastern Kentucky University )

• ISBN13: 9780470778128
• ISBN10: 0470778121
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2008-12-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Forensic Microscopy: A Laboratory Manual will provide the student with a practical overview and understanding of the various microscopes and microscopic techniques employed within the field of forensic science. Each laboratory experiment has been carefully designed to cover the variety of evidence disciplines within the forensic science field with carefully set out objectives, explanations of each topic and worksheets to help students compile and analyse their results.The emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of the analysis to enrich student understanding through hands on experience. The experiments move from basic through to specialised and have been developed to cover a variety of evidence disciplines within forensic science field. The emphasis is placed on techniques currently used by trace examiners.This unique, forensic focused, microscopy laboratory manual provides objectives for each topic covered with experiments designed to reinforce what has been learnt along with end of chapter questions, report requirements and numerous references for further reading. Impression evidence such as fingerprints, shoe tread patterns, tool marks and firearms will be analysed using simple stereomicroscopic techniques. Body fluids drug and trace evidence (e.g. paint glass hair fibre) will be covered by a variety of microscopes and specialized microscopic techniques.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

Laboratory Safety

Microscope Maintenance

The Micro Kit

Experiments

The Stereomicroscope

Familiarization with the Stereomicroscope

The Compound Light Microscope

Familiarization with the Compound Light Microscope

Measurements Using the Ocular Micrometer

Microscopic Mounting Techniques

Determining Refractive Index

The Polarized Light Microscope

Familiarization with the Polarized Light Microscope

Determining Refractive Index of Anisotropic Materials

Determining Birefringence and Sign of Elongation

The Fluorescence Microscope

Familiarization with the Fluorescence Microscope

The Phase Contrast Microscope

Familiarization with the Phase Contrast Microscope

Application Experiments

Experiment 6: Physical Match Examinations

Experiment 7: Construction Examinations of Evidence

Experiment 8: Lamp Filament Examinations

Experiment 9: Fingerprint Examinations and Comparison

Experiment 10: Tool Mark Examinations

Firearms Examinations

Firearms Examinations

Gunshot Residue Examinations

Experiment 12: Shoe and Tire Print/Impression Examinations

Experiment 13: Botanical Examinations.

Experiment 14: Paint Examinations

Hair Examinations

Hair Examinations

Animal Hair Examinations

Determination of Racial and Somatic Origin Characteristics of Human Hair

Human Hair Examinations and Comparisons

Evaluation of Human Hair for DNA.

Glass Examinations

Glass Examinations.

Glass Breakage Determinations.

Fiber Examinations

Textile Fibers Examinations

Natural Fiber Examinations

Man-made Fiber Examinations.

Fiber Comparisons

Soil Examination.

Experiment 18

Experiment 18A

Experiment 19: Microchemical Testing û Inorganic Ions

Experiment 20: Microscopic Analysis of Controlled Substances

Experiment 21: Semen Examinations Instrumental Microscopy

Experiment 22: Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectrometry.

Experiment 23: UV-Visible-NIR Microspectrophotometry

Experiment 24: Thermal Microscopy

Experiment 25: Scanning Electron Microscopy

Appendices

Optical Properties of Natural Fibers

Optical Properties of Man-Made Fibers

Michel-L´evy Chart

Dispersion-Staining Graph

Mock Case Scenario

Circle Template

Glossary of Microscopy Terms

Index

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