Examination of used motor oils by flame AAS for criminalistic purposes: A diagnostic study

Abstract

Two kinds of motor oil were examined with respect to changes in their elemental composition during car driving. The concentrations of Ba, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb and Cd in oil samples were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Significant differences in the metal concentrations of oil samples used during normal car service were observed. Quantitative elemental composition of oils can be recommended as a good feature for differentiation between various oil samples for criminalistic purposes.