Skip to content

Lead-Free GSR

Definition

Gunshot residue produced by ammunition using non-lead primer formulations (SINTOX, Diazol, or other variants). Does not contain the conventional Pb-Sb-Ba three-element combination; requires alternative EDS criteria per ASTM E1588 2011 update and ENFSI 2023 guidelines.

Related terms

ASTM E1588
ASTM International standard practice for gunshot residue analysis by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry. Defines particle classification (characteristic, consistent-with, indicative), morphology...
Back-Scattered Electron (BSE)
High-energy electron from the primary beam that has bounced elastically off a nucleus and exited the sample. BSE yield increases with atomic...
Characteristic X-Ray
An X-ray photon emitted when an outer-shell electron drops into an inner-shell vacancy created by ionisation. Energy is set by the difference...
Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
An X-ray detection method that simultaneously measures the energies of all characteristic X-ray photons emitted from the interaction volume, identifying all elements...
FIB (Focused Ion Beam)
A technique using a focused gallium ion beam to mill a specimen at a specific site-selected location, producing a TEM-quality cross-section with...
Interaction Volume
The pear-shaped region of specimen material within which the primary electron beam deposits energy and generates signals. At 20 kV in a...
Secondary Electron (SE)
Low-energy electron (below 50 eV) ejected from the top few nanometres of the sample when the primary beam knocks a loosely bound...
Silicon Drift Detector (SDD)
The current standard EDS detector type, using a reverse-biased silicon chip cooled by a Peltier element to achieve high count-rate capability (up...
Sputter Coating
Vacuum-deposition technique that lays a thin (5 to 15 nm) conductive layer of gold, gold-palladium or carbon onto a non-conductive sample (polymer,...
Ultramicrotome
A precision instrument for cutting sections of resin-embedded specimens to 60-100 nm thickness using a diamond knife, enabling TEM examination of the...
ZAF Correction
A software correction applied to raw EDS X-ray intensities to account for atomic number (Z), absorption (A), and fluorescence (F) effects within...

Explained in

  • Electron Microscopy: SEM, TEM and EDSGunshot residue produced by ammunition using non-lead primer formulations (SINTOX, Diazol, or other variants). Does not contain the conventional Pb-Sb-Ba three...

Your journey to becoming a forensic professional starts here.

Practice with mock tests, learn from structured notes, and get your questions answered by a global forensic community, all in one place.