THE DISTANCE OF THE MUZZLE OF THE GUN TO THE TARGET IS CLASSIFIED

INTO THREE (3):

1. Direct contact

2. 2 inches to 36 inches way

3. 36 inches away or more

TESTS FOR GUNSHOT RESIDUE (GSR)

 Nitrite and

 Lead residue chemical examination

CHARACTERISTICS OF GUNSHOT WOUNDS

1. DIRECT/CONTACT WOUNDS – the principal damage is more visible due to the

flame and the muzzle blast than to the penetration of bullet. The following

observations may be noted:

 Gaping hole where fabric is badly torn

 Blackened area surrounding the bullet hole

 The presence of partially burned powder residues around the entrance

hole

2. WOUNDS INFLICTED AT A DISTANCE FROM 2-36 INCHES – If the gun is

discharged closely to the body of the victim, two (2) types of discoloration will be

observed around the hole of the entrance namely: SMUDGING AND POWDER

TATTOOING (Black coarsely peppered pattern).

 SMUDGING – is produced when the gun is held from about 2 inches to the

maximum of 8 inches. The smoke and soot from the burned pores are deposited

around the hole of the entrance producing a dirty appearance.

THE SIZE OF THE SMUDGE DEPENDS UPON THE FOLLOWING:

1. LENGTH OF THE BARREL – A weapon of 2 inch barrel will deposit residue over

a larger area than a weapon of 5 inch barrel (even if they fired from the distance

with the same type of ammunition). In a longer barrel, the hand is farther away

from the muzzle end of the gun. It takes a bullet to travel in more time, thus,

using up /burning up more, if not all, of the nitrates. In a short barrel, the bullet

travels through the barrel in less time leaving behind a greater amount of

unburned particles.

2. AGE OF THE GUN / EFFICIENCY OF MECHANISM – Complete combustion or

the conversion of all nitrates into its end product is more likely to occur in a new

weapon compared to an old one. Besides, leakage of the gunpowder is more

likely to happen in the old weapon where the breech mechanism is no longer

tightly fitted.

3. DIRECTION OF FIRING – More powder residues will be obtained when the gun

is fired upward than downward. Gunpowder residues have weight and will

naturally fall down because of gravity.

4. WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY – In high velocity (strong wind) the powder

residues will be blown in the direction of the wind. One is more likely to be

positive for gunpowder nitrates if there is no wind, or the direction is away from

the body.
 5. HUMIDITY / PERCENTAGE MOISTURE IN AIR – Humidity lessens the extent of

combustion yielding more gunpowder nitrates.

POWDER TATTOOING PRODUCES BLACK COARSELY PEPPERED PATTERN.

INDIVIDUAL SPECKS OF TATTOOING AROUND THE HOLE ARE VISIBLE BY THE

NAKED EYE.

 The area of blackening around the perforation will be found to diminish in size as

the muzzle of the gun is held further away from the target.

 Take note that the size of the area of powder tattooing will also depend on the

following:

1. Caliber

2. Powder charge

3. Distance of firing

 Individual specks of tattooing around the hole are visible to the naked eye. The

area of blackening around the perforation will be found to diminish in size as the

muzzle of the gun is held further and at the distance of 8 inches, blackening

around the hole will completely disappear. A few individual specks of tattooing

will be visible to the naked eye.

HISTORY OF PARAFFIN TEST / DERMAL NITRATE OR DIPHENYLAMINE TEST

 Paraffin test was originated from Cuba when Dr. Gonzalo Iturrios first used

paraffin for collecting gunpowder residues from discharged firearm. In 1993,

Teodoro Gonzales of Criminal Identification Laboratory, Mexico city introduced

the test in the United States. In this test, the hands were coated with a layer of
 melted paraffin. After cooling, the casts were removed and treated with

Diphenylamine (5% DPA in 60% sulfuric)

METHODS OF EXAMINATION

PARAFFIN TEST

 To determine whether a person has discharged a firearm, the paraffin-

diphenylamine test is used. The basis of this test is the presence of nitrates in

the gunpowder residue. When a warm Melted paraffin wax is applied on the

hands of the alleged shooter, it will cause the pores of the skin to open and

exude the particles of gunpowder residue. These particles of gunpowder residue

are being extracted by the paraffin cast (with the use of melted paraffin wax) and

will appear as blue specks, when diphenylamine reagent (DPA for brevity) is

added on the cast. It must be noted that the specks are generally located on the

area of the thumb and forefingers.

NOTE:

 The blue color that appears indicates the reactions of nitrates with diphenylamine

reagent. Thus, nitrate from other sources like fertilizers will give the same

reaction. Other substances similar to nitrate known as oxidizers will also react

with the reagent in the same way.

 How ever it must also be noted that the blue specks have the

 How ever it must also be noted that the blue specks have the characteristics of

“TAILING”

WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND THE PARAFFIN TEST?

  While the burned and partially burned particles (gunpowder residue) is deposited

on the target and in the barrel of the gun, some of these burned and partially

burned particles may escape around the breech of the gun and some may be

embedded on the exposed surface of the hand/s of the person discharging the

firearm.

 Thus the presence of these residues can be detected by way of paraffin

examination.

 As a rule, in the paraffin examination, the forensic chemist / chemical officer

should personally conduct the paraffin casting on the alleged shooter. However,

a competent laboratory technician under the supervision on the examiner on

case may also perform the paraffin casting. But it is the forensic chemist /

chemical officer who should examine the paraffin casts taken from both hands of

the alleged shooter to determine the presence of gunpowder nitrates.

 Paraffin casting of the alleged shooter shall only be done within seventy two (72)

hours from the time of the alleged shooting incident. No person shall subjected to

paraffin casting after the lapse of the specified period.

 Embalmed cadaver who allegedly discharged a firearm shall no longer be

subjected to paraffin examination because of the impossibility of extracting the

gunpowder nitrates from the formers hands.

TAKING OF PARAFFIN CASTS

MATERIALS AND APPARATUS:

 Paraffin wax (M.P. 38-40 C)

  Absorbent cotton

 Bond paper

 Burner

 Beaker or casserole

 Tong

PROCEDURE

 Heat the paraffin wax in a container until it melts. Allow cooling for a few minutes

so that it will not burn the skin.

 Let the subject wash his hands with water without using any soap or detergent.

Wipe the hands of the subject with clean absorbent cotton

 Let the subject place his hands on a clean sheet of bond paper with the palms

facing downward and the fingers closed together. Using a spoon or tong with

cotton, pour the melted paraffin wax on the hands of the subject from the thumb

and index finger side of the hands

 Cover the hands and fingers thoroughly with paraffin wax and place a thin layer

of absorbent cotton to reinforce the wax

 Pour another layer of the wax until the absorbent cotton has totally absorbed the

wax

 Allow the wax to cool and solidify before peeling them off

 When cool, direct the subject to move his fingers first and slowly moving his

hands out from the casts

  Place on the bond paper the case number, name of the subject, time and date,

technician who took the cast witnesses and label the right and left hand

 Place another bond paper on top of the paraffin casts and staple together

 Place the paraffin casts inside an envelope or a box for proper reservation.

NOTE:

 It must be noted that upon casting, the melted paraffin wax penetrates the minute

crevices of the skin thus, the burned and partially burned gunpowder nitrates

which are embedded on the hands of the shooter are extracted. Upon application

of diphenylamine (DPA) reagent on the paraffin casts, the appearance of “tailing

deep blue specks” indicates the presence of gunpowder nitrates

PARAFFIN WAX

 Paraffin wax is a white, translucent, tasteless, odorless solid consisting of a

mixture of solid hydrocarbons of high molecular weight. It is insoluble in water

and acids and soluble in benzene, ligroin, warm alcohol, chloroform, turpentine,

carbon disulfide, and olive oil. Combustible, auto ignition temperature 473 F (245

degree C)

 The melted paraffin wax penetrates the minute crevices of the skin upon

application, thus adhering if there are particles present. When the casts are

peeled, the burned and partially burned particles are extracted. A person firing a

gun will likely have the particles located above the thumb and fore fingers since

these are the surfaces exposed to the gun.

WHAT SHOULD BE NOTED IN THE INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS:

TIME OF REACTION

 Number and characteristic of blue and minute specks

 The location and character of the blue specks

 Distribution and location

DIFFERENT NAMES OF THIS TEST:

 Lunge’s test

 Diphenylamine test

 Dermal nitrate test

Gonzales test – named after the one who improved the test

QUESTION: Is there any means of removing these nitrates from the hands? How long

will they stay in the pores?

 Answer : none. Ordinary washing will not remove the nitrates from the pores of

the skin. Usually, gunpowder nitrates that are embedded on the skin stay for 72

hours. That is why paraffin casting should be conducted within the specified

period.

SUBSTANCES GIVING FALSE POSITIVE RESULT:

1. Fertilizers

2. Explosives

3. Tobacco

4. Urine

5. Certain cosmetics
 6. Food samples

7. Cigarette

QUESTION: Will these substances not give positive result for paraffin test?

ANSWER: If the hands of the subject person are contaminated with nitrates other than

from gun powder, one will expect to find smudges or just a smear of blue color or a

conglomeration of blue specks. But nitrates from gunpowder appear as BLUE SPECKS

WITH TAILINGS, because these particles were embedded into the hands with force.

QUESTION: Is paraffin test result a conclusive evidence? Why?

ANSWER: No. It is just a corroborative evidence which intends to support the testimony

of eyewitness/es. There are instances wherein a person who actually discharged a

firearm would still give a negative result to the paraffin test because of several factors.

QUESTION: What are these factors?

ANSWER:

1. Types of caliber of ammunition

2. Use of gloves

3. Length of the barrel

4. Age of the gun / efficiency of mechanism

5. Direction of firing

6. Wind direction and velocity

7. Humidity / percentage moisture in air

8. When 72 hours had already lapsed ( 3 days )