Volume 21, Issue 3 (July 1976) Detection of Gunshot Residue by
Use of the Scanning Electron Microscope Current methods used to
determine whether or not an individual has fired a handgun are
based on analyses of samples taken from various regions of the
hand for total content of antimony, barium, and often lead. High
amounts of these elements are considered to be characteristic of
gunshot residue [1–11]. However, the ability to identify residue
conclusively has been severely restricted by the environmental
occurrence of these same elements. Results of the studies
described in this paper indicate that, by combining information
about the morphology of gunshot residue particles with elemental
analysis of individual particles [obtained by using an X-ray
analyzer with the scanning electron microscope (SEM)], it is
possible to reach a conclusion of increased significance
concerning the presence of residue as distinguished from
environmental contamination. The results of extensive studies of
residue particles and ana