Determination of gunshot residues by neutron activation analysis

Systematic investigations of gunshot residues, deposited around the bullet hole, have been carried out. The traces were produced by firing on filter papers from distances of 5 to 200 cm using one rifle and three pistols as arms. Antimony, lead and barium were quantitatively determined after irradiating the samples in the nuclear reactor TRIGA Mainz by measurement of gamma-lines of^122mSb,¹²²Sb,^207mPo and¹³⁹Ba. The determinations were made purely instrumentally and-where the half lives were long enough-also after chemical separation of the nuclides. The amount of the elements were determined in dependence of the firing distance and of the area around the bullet hole.