Paint Transfer Analysis
Definition
Forensic comparison of paint layer sequences (primer, base coat, lacquer) on near-field surfaces against reference samples to identify the vehicle or container that was the bomb's carrier, using FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS.
- Context
- Post-blast bomb-carrier identification
- Compared layers
- Primer, base coat, lacquer
- Methods
- FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS
- Target
- Vehicle or container used to carry the device
Common questions
Why is paint transfer analysis useful in a post-blast investigation specifically?+
An explosive device carried in or on a vehicle or container can leave microscopic paint fragments on surfaces near the seat of the blast, and matching those fragments' layer sequence to a suspect vehicle helps place that vehicle at the scene even after the device itself is destroyed.
Why use both FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS rather than one method?+
FTIR characterises the bulk polymer and pigment chemistry quickly and non-destructively, while pyrolysis GC-MS breaks the sample down to identify specific resin and additive compounds, giving a finer discriminating profile when the FTIR result alone is inconclusive.
Related terms
- Crater Glass
- Glass fragments recovered from within or immediately adjacent to the blast crater, originating from the device container or adjacent glazing; distinguished by...
- Expanding Concentric Search Grid
- The systematic spatial framework for post-blast scene searches, consisting of concentric rings at measured radii from the seat of blast, divided into...
- Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS)
- A field-deployable analytical technique that separates ions by their mobility in an electric field at atmospheric pressure. Used for trace explosive detection...
- JESIP
- Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (UK); the framework mandating co-located multi-agency command with a shared decision log from initial response, applied to...
- Render-Safe Procedure
- The action taken by a qualified EOD or bomb disposal team to make a blast scene or live device safe from secondary...
- Scene Log
- The contemporaneous record of every person entering and exiting the inner cordon, with time stamps and roles; the foundational chain-of-custody document for...
- Seat of Blast
- The precise point of initiation of the detonation, identified from the convergence of crater geometry, witness-mark vectors, damage gradient, and residue concentration.
- Sieve Recovery
- The process of collecting and dry- or wet-sieving soil and debris from the crater and innermost grid zone through 2 mm and...
- Witness Mark
- A fragment embedded in a structural surface (wall, column, vehicle panel) at a known position and angle, providing a directional vector back...