5% HNO3 Swab
Definition
A cotton or polyester swab pre-wetted with 5% nitric acid, used to collect dissolved GSR for atomic absorption spectrometry or ICP-MS. Recovers lead, barium and antimony from the hand surface as dissolved ions.
Related terms
- Carbon-Tape Stub (Tri-Mark)
- A standard SEM-format aluminium or plastic pin stub bearing conductive double-sided carbon tape, used to collect GSR from hands and surfaces for...
- Environmental Control Stub
- A blank carbon-tape stub collected from the collection environment (table surface, custody cell, vehicle seat) to establish background particle levels in the...
- NABIS (National Ballistics Intelligence Service)
- The UK agency responsible for managing ballistic evidence including GSR analysis, operated by the National Police Chiefs' Council. Issues guidance on GSR...
- Persistence Half-Life (GSR on Hands)
- The time after which approximately half of the initial particle count has been lost from the hand surface. Published studies (Cardinetti 2004,...
- Secondary Transfer
- The movement of a glass fragment from a primary surface (which contacted the broken glass) to a secondary surface (which contacted the...
- Tertiary Transfer
- Transfer of GSR from a secondary surface (a person who received particles via handshaking) to a third surface. Documented at low levels...
Explained in
- GSR Sampling Protocols, Persistence and Secondary TransferA cotton or polyester swab pre-wetted with 5% nitric acid, used to collect dissolved GSR for atomic absorption spectrometry or ICP-MS. Recovers lead, barium an...