The micro Raman analysis of paint evidence in criminalistics: Case studies

Abstract

Paint is a widely used material, and painted objects are often encountered in criminal cases. The present article illustrates forensic cases involving paint evidence. The integration of Raman spectroscopy in the analytical sequence provides useful information about the main pigment(s) present in paint samples. One of the main advantages of micro Raman spectroscopy is the possibility of carrying out in situ measurements of paint smears directly on their support, thereby avoiding the handling and contamination of small trace particles. Raman spectroscopy also adds discriminating power to the standard sequence of paint analysis, which is an important added value in forensic science. Six cases submitted to our laboratory are described in order to show the versatility of application of this technique. Cases including automotive, household and spray paints were submitted to such analyses. Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) provide important and complementary information to characterise unknown samples. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.