CUTM 2314 Forensic Chemistry

CUTM 2314 FORENSIC CHEMISTRY

Course Credit: 3+2+0

Course Objective

After studying this paper the students will know

1. The methods of analyzing trace amounts of petroleum products in crime scene evidence.
2. The methods of analyzing contaminants in petroleum products.
3. The method of searching, collecting, preserving and analyzing arson evidence.
4. The classification of explosives, including the synthesis and characterization of representative analogs.
5. The significance of bomb scene management.
6. The techniques of locating hidden explosives.

Course Outcome 

Course Syllabus:

Unit I: Petroleum and Petroleum Products

Distillation and fractionation of petroleum. Commercial uses of different petroleum fractions. Analysis of petroleum products. Analysis of traces of petroleum products in forensic exhibits. Comparison of petroleum products. Adulteration of petroleum products.

Unit II: Arson

Chemistry of fire. Conditions for fire. Fire scene patterns. Location of point of ignition. Recognition of type of fire. Searching the fire scene. Collection and preservation of arson evidence. Analysis of fire debris. Analysis of ignitable liquid residue. Post-flashover burning. Scientific investigation and evaluation of clue materials. Information from smoke staining.

Unit III: Explosives

 Introduction, Classification of explosives – low explosives and high explosives. Homemade explosives. Military explosives. Blasting agents. Synthesis and characteristics of picric acid, TNT, PETN and RDX. Explosion process. Blast waves. Bomb scene management. Searching the scene of explosion. Mechanism of explosion. Post blast residue collection and analysis. Blast injuries.

Unit IV: Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances

Definition of narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances. Broad classification – Narcotics, stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens. General characteristics and common example of each classification. Natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances. Designer drugs. Tolerance, addiction and withdrawal symptoms of narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances Crime scene search for narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances – searching a suspect, searching a dwelling, searching a vehicle. Testing of narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances. Presumptive and screening tests for narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances. Microcrystalline testing of drugs of abuse

Unit V: Analysis of Beverages

 Introduction, Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and their composition, Definition of alcohol and illicit liquor. Alcohol and prohibition, Consequences of drunken driving, Breath analysis, blood alcohol analysis by GC-HS.
Analysis of Beverages- Analysis of alcoholic beverages as per BIS and PFA Act, Detection and determination of ethanol, furfural, organic acids, aldehydes, chloral hydrate, methanol and ethylene glycol in liquors.

 Unit VI: Detection of Food Adulteration

 Food adulteration: Introduction, Prevention of food adulteration, analysis of samples taken under food adulteration act

Unit VII: Case Studies

 Famous case studies related to forensic chemistry.

Session Plan

Session 1

Distillation and fractionation of petroleum. Commercial uses of different petroleum fractions

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/fractional-distillation-of-petroleum/

Session 2

Analysis of petroleum products

https://www.slideshare.net/RahulVerma893/analysis-of-petroleum-products

PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

Session 3

Analysis of traces of petroleum products in forensic exhibits

https://www.slideshare.net/jeremiah_justus/forensic-chemistry-petroleum-products

Session 4

Comparison of petroleum products. Adulteration of petroleum products

1453183734FSC_P5_M18_e-text

Session 5

Chemistry of fire, conditions of fire

https://maiif.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Guide-for-Conducting-Marine-Fire-Investigations-Chapter-1.pdf

Session 6 

Fire scene patterns

http://what-when-how.com/forensic-sciences/fire-scene-patterns/

Session 7 

Location of point of ignition

https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/epgpdata/uploads/epgp_content/S000016FS/P000692/M011462/ET/1453183772FSC_P5_M19_e-text.pdf

Session 8

Recognition of type of fire

https://www.tecservuk.com/blog/different-types-of-fire-classes/#:~:text=Class%20A%20%E2%80%93%20fires%20involving%20solid,Class%20D%20%E2%80%93%20fires%20involving%20metals.

Session 9

Searching the fire scene, collection and preservation of arson evidence

https://slideplayer.com/slide/13466041/#:~:text=Porous%20materials%20at%20the%20suspected,and%20stored%20in%20airtight%20containers.&text=When%20collecting%20samples%20at%20a,soot%20debris%20should%20be%20collected.&text=Various%20sizes%20of%20paint%20cans,fire%20scenes%20can%20be%20used.

Session 10

Analysis of fire debris

https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/bca-divisions/forensic-science/Pages/trace-fire-sample-prep.aspx

Session 11

Analysis of ignitable liquid residue

Analysis of Ignitable liquid residues

Session 12

Post flashover burning

Post flashover bunring

Session 13

Scientific investigation and evaluation of clue materials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q4_GYDHODk

Session 14

Information from smoke staining

http://what-when-how.com/forensic-sciences/fire-scene-patterns/#:~:text=The%20smoke%2Dstaining%2C%20characteristic%20of,of%20objects%20in%20the%20vicinity.

Session 15

Introduction, classification of explosives- low explosives and high explosives

http://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/epgpdata/uploads/epgp_content/forensic_science/05._forensic_chemistry_and_explosives/31._explosives___introduction/et/4742_et_4742_et_31et.pdf

Session 16

Homemade explosives, military explosives

Homemade explosives

Military explosives

Session 17

Blasting agents

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/101A.1.pdf

Session 18

synthesis and characteristics of picric acid

https://www.vedantu.com/chemistry/picric-acid

Session 19

synthesis and characteristics of TNT, PETN

TNT

PETN

Session 20

synthesis and characteristics of RDX

RDX

Session 21

Explosion Process, Blast waves

Explosion Process

Blast Waves

Session 22

Bomb scene management, searching the scene of explosion

Explosion and Bombing scene investigation

Session 23

Mechanism of explosion, Blast Injuries

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npsg/explosives/Chapter2.pdf

https://blastinjuryresearch.health.mil/index.cfm/blast_injury_101/what_is_blast_injury

Session 24

Post blast residue collection and analysis

post blast residue collection and analysis

Session 25

Definition of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances, Broad classification- Narcotics, stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens

NDPS

Session 26

Natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances

Natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic NDPS

Session 27

Designer drugs, tolerance, addiction and withdrawal symptoms

Designer Drugs

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction

Session 28

Crime scene search for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/searching-drugs

Session 29

Presumptive and screening tests for narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances

http://dfs.nic.in/pdfs/narcotics%20manual.pdf

Session 30

Micro-crystalline tests for drugs of abuse

microcrystalline-test-in-forensic-drug-analysis

Session 31

Introduction, alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and their composition

https://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/SubHead_Products/Alcoholic_and_Non_Alcoholic_Beverages.htm

Session 32

definition of alcohol and illicit liquor

https://www.drinkiq.com/en-gb/about-alcohol/what-is-illicit-alcohol-and-why-can-it-be-so-dangerous/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol

Session 33

Alcohol and prohibition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_prohibition_in_India#:~:text=National%20prohibition%20was%20advocated%20by,incidence%20of%20violence%20against%20women.

Session 34

Consequences of drunken driving, breath alcohol analysis

https://vakilsearch.com/blog/drunk-driving-laws-and-punishment-in-india/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/breathalyzer-test

Session 35

Blood alcohol analysis by GC-HS

https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/blood-alcohol-components-bac-analysis-headspace-gas-chromatography

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/breathalyzer-test

Session 36

Analysis of alcoholic beverages as per BIS and PFA Act

https://www.slideshare.net/kiranyadav89/analysis-of-alcohol

Session 37

Food adulteration: Introduction

Food adulteration

Session 38

Prevention of Food adulteration

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1604954

Session 39

Analysis of samples taken under Prevention of Food adulteration act

https://www.pharmacy180.com/article/analysis-of-food-1802/

Session 40

Famous case studies related to Forensic chemistry

https://www.slideshare.net/PALASHMEHAR/forensic-chemistry-case-study

Suggested Readings

1. J.D. DeHaan, Kirk’s Fire Investigation, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey (1991).
2. A.A. Moenssens, J. Starrs, C.E. Henderson and F.E. Inbau, Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases, 4th Edition, The Foundation Press, Inc., New York (1995).
3. R. Saferstein, Criminalistics, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey (2004).
4. W.J. Tilstone, M.L. Hastrup and C. Hald, Fisher’s, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2013).
5. S. Ballou, M. Houck, J.A. Siegel, C.A. Crouse, J.J. Lentini and S. Palenik in Forensic Science, D.H. Ubelaker (Ed.), Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester (2013).

Practicals

1. To carry out analysis of gasoline.
2. To carry out analysis of diesel.
3. To carry out analysis of kerosene.
4. To prepare a case report on a case involving arson.
5. To carry out analysis of explosive substances.
6. To separate explosive substances using thin layer chromatography.
7. To prepare a case report on bomb scene management.
8. To carry out analysis of Narcotics & Psychotropic substances.
9. Analysis of Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic Beverages.
10. Analysis of food samples for adulteration.