WEEK 3

FORENSIC CHEMISTRY
• Definition of Forensic Chemistry
Forensic chemistry is defined as that
branch of chemistry which deals with the
application of chemical principles in the
solution of problems that arise in
connection with the administration of
justice. It is chemistry applied in the
elucidation of legal problems.
• Is a branch of chemistry that deals with
the application of chemical knowledge
and principles in the solution of legal
problems in connection with the
administration of justice.
• It is an interdisciplinary field of Chemistry
tasked to solve cases that can only be
explained or resolved by applying
analytical method of investigation and
instrumentation with chemistry as the
main core of discussion.
• Practice of Forensic Chemistry in the
Philippines
In August 1937, the Manila Police Department
appointed Miss Marcelina Villanos as
Detective-Chemist detailed at Department of
Legal Medicine of University of the
Philippines. She performs laboratory
examinations for both Manila Police
Department and Department of Justice.
In December 1937, by virtue of Commonwealth
Act 181, the Division of Investigation, now
known as the National Bureau of
Investigation were created with medico-legal
section they employed two medico-legal
officers and a chemist.
In October 1939, Philippine Constabulary
established its own Medico- legal Section with
Chemistry Laboratory for the purpose of
assisting criminal investigation in their own
jurisdiction.
• Scope of Forensic Chemistry
Forensic chemistry gains its recognition as the
central discipline in understanding other
branches of criminalistics, forensic ballistics,
questioned documents, such medicines,
forensic serology, dactyloscopy, forensic
photography, trace analysis and forensic DNA.
The following are the major scope of Forensic chemistry
and physical identification:
1. Dangerous drugs

2. Explosives examination
3.Gunshot residue (paraffin casting, distance
determination and firearms examination)
4. Forensic Toxicology
5. Blood, alcohol and drug test
6. Examination of fake products for unfair trade
competition
7. Arson investigation
 8. Number restoration (macro etching)
9. Bullet trajectory
10. Ultraviolet examination
11. Tool marks and other marks
12. Blood and other body fluids
13. Trace evidence
Generally, this subject aims to describe the
different practices of criminalistic based on
chemical principles involved in the
examination of physical evidences.
Role of Forensic Chemist in the Scientific
Investigation
A Forensic Chemist, as a man of science,
performs laboratory examinations on physical
evidence submitted to the crime laboratory in
order to expedite the investigation of a crime
by the investigating party. He/she has the
following responsibilities:
1. Conducts qualitative and quantitative
determination of abused drugs as well as
volatile substances.
 2. Conducts chemical examination of explosives
and/or ingredients.
3. Conducts examination of paraffin cast and firearms
to determine the presence of gunpowder nitrates.
4. Conducts chemico-toxicological examination of
human internal organs, gastric contents, blood, water,
food sample and other substances.
5. Conducts blood alcohol determinations.
6. Conducts examination of fake products in cases of
unfair trade competition.
7. Examine urine samples and other body fluids for
the presence of abused drugs.
 8. Conducts researchers related to cases being
examined.
9. Testifies and gives expert opinion in court.
10. Gives lecture on Forensic Chemistry and
Chemico-toxicology to various schools universities,
police training centers and investigative units.
11. Responds to queries of all investigating units
and render expert opinion on matters related to
the application of chemical principles for the
purpose of assisting investigators to develop
investigative leads.
Six Golden Rules in the Practice of Forensic Chemistry
1. Go slowly.
Good work cannot be hurried, therefore, take all
the time necessary to make the case complete no
matter how urgent it may appear..
2. Be thorough.
Make careful and minute examination of
everything and do not be satisfied with a qualitative
analysis if a quantitative one is possible. It always
pays to do too much rather than too little and it is
difficult to foresee what will or will not be required
in court.
3. Take notes.
Keep a full neat and clean record of everything
seen and done.
4. Consult others.
Many cases will lead the expert into paths with
which he is not familiar and when this happens he
should consult those who know better.
5. Use imagination.
An expert with a wide and uncontrollable
imagination is considered as the most dangerous
creature, though his being imaginative is sometimes
useful.
 6. Avoid complicated theories.
The simplest explanation is fundamentally
to be solely imaginative but he has to be
skilled in the field of Forensic Science. He
must bear witness within the limits of science.
Interpretation of results is often the most
difficult part of the expert’s task that is why a
wide knowledge and scientific experience are
the essential elements to obtain the right
forensic examination results.
PRACTICE OF FORENSIC CHEMISTRY – The work
of forensic chemist is divided into four stages,
namely (1) collection or reception of the
specimen to be examined; (2) the actual
examination; (3) the communication of
results of the examination; and (4) court
appearance.
Collection or reception of the specimen to be
examined.
• It is most important that whenever possible the
chemist should personally collect all the specimens
necessary for the examination. Unless this is done,
something essential to the elucidation of the
problem may be omitted and in some cases
questions regarding the collection and transit of
the specimen are raised during trial. Furthermore,
the collection, preservation, and transportation of
specimens are very essential in the investigation of
a crime.
If the chemist will not personally collect the specimen it
is possible that the articles may be taken, handled, or
packed in such way as to render them almost useless
for purposes of examination. Sometimes it is
necessary that the chemist who examines the
specimen should know not only the condition but
even the precise position in which the object was
found and this can only be done if he is called at the
commencement of the investigation and before
anything is removed or disturbed.
The chemist who is assigned to assist in the
investigation of a crime should go to the scene
of the crime, make a detailed examination,
take notes and measurements, make sketches
if necessary and if possible, take a photograph
of the place.
He should equip himself with all necessary
containers for the collection of specimens for
laboratory examination. This, is not always
practicable and, even when practicable, the
necessity is not appreciated. The expert must
therefore depend upon the intelligent
assistance of the investigators who must, in
the performance of this delicate task, be
guided by the following principles:
a)SUFFICIENCY OF SAMPLES: Police are usually incline to
be niggardly in taking samples probably because they
have an unqualified belief in the magic of such
analytical instruments as the microscope and
spectrograph. This mistake should be avoided. If an
error is to be committed, let it be in the side of
generosity.
b) STANDARD FOR COMPARISON: If the evidence in
question is found in the presence of foreign substance,
a sample of the foreign substance must be submitted
for analysis. For example, if blood is found on a
linoleum, a sample of the unstained linoleum must be
submitted together with stained portion.
d) LABELLING AND SEALING: Evidence will have
no value in court in spite of the good report of
the expert if the specimen cannot be identified
and possibility of tampering excluded. Each
sample must be labelled. Small fragments
should be enclosed in specimen boxes and the
boxes are then sealed, preferably with sealing
wax and thumb mark imprinted on the sealing
wax while still warm. Labels may be placed on
the boxes although it is recommended that
string tags must be used whenever possible.
 The label should include information concerning
the nature and source of the sample, date and
time of collection, case number, if any and name
of the person collecting the sample.
 II. The actual examination of the specimen:
 The first step in the examination of an article is to
scrutinize it carefully and write down in the
laboratory notebook a complete description of
its external appearance including the manner in
which it is secured and particulars of the sealing.
If possible, take a photograph of the specimen.
The specimen is now opened and any inner
wrappings should be described. Finally, a
detailed description of the appearance of the
contents of the package should be given. All
wrappers should be kept and sealed,
preserved since questions concerning them
may be raised in court during trial.
The second step in the examination is to
measure or weigh the object and all
measurements and weights should be entered
 in the laboratory notebook. The specimen is then
divided into several portions, one to be kept in its
condition for further reference and production in
court. If the specimen is a court exhibit, written
permission from the court is necessary before its
condition may be changed.
The third step is the chemical, microscopical or
physical testing, whichever is indicated. The
detailed procedure of the analysis will be
described in the following chapters for each
subject.
Whenever a chemical analysis is made, care should be
taken that all the apparatus used are clean, reagents are
pure and that all precautions against possibility of
contamination are taken. Blank and control experiments
should be made whenever possible. At every stage of the
analysis full notes should be entered in the notebook.
After the examination is finished, the remaining portion of
the article or the article itself should be sealed securely
and either kept for production in court or handed over to
the requesting party. It is recommended that the chemist
should retain the articles he examined and should
himself produce them in the court.
III. Communication of the results of the examination:
The results of the examination conducted will be
communicated to the requesting party in the form
of a written report which must include an
enumeration of the articles received for
examination with detailed description of the
packing, sealing and labelling, date of receipt and
from whom received, the purpose of the
examination, the findings and conclusion. The
findings should include a brief but sufficient record
of all the significant facts noted during the
examination.
It is not, as a rule, necessary to mention how the
analysis has been conducted. Reference to some
well-known and established methods may be
allowed. If a quantitative analysis was made it is
not necessary to report the results to more than
one decimal point except in cases of poisoning
where the results may be given to tenths or even
hundredths of milligram. The conclusion should
be stated definitely and without ambiguity. All
opinions should be supported by the evidence on
which they are based. As a rule, the report
 must be concise and clear, but efficiency should not
be sacrificed for brevity. If photomicrographs or
photographs of the specimen have been made,
copies should be attached to the report stating
clearly on the photographs what they represent.
IV. Court appearance:
The written report of the chemist is usually
supplemented a later date by oral evidence if the
case is brought to court or fiscal’s office. Since the
oral evidence may be given weeks, months or even
years after the work has been made and the written
report, it is not only permissible but necessary that
chemist should refresh his memory by reference to
his laboratory notebook before presenting himself in
It is not sufficient that these should be consulted for a
few minutes immediately before going to court or
while waiting to be called but they should be
studied well beforehand. The chemist should have a
thorough knowledge of his subject and of the
collateral matters relating to it. He must anticipate
and prepare himself to answer likely questions
having reference to the case and should be
prepared to state the degree of accuracy attained.
He should also know the weakness, if any, inherent
in the methods and employed and be ready to meet
adverse criticism directed against them.
• All answers to questions and all opinion should be definite
and free from ambiguity and should be given in simple
language. Lengthy explanation should be avoided as this
may weaken the evidence and raise points that can be used
by the opposite party to cast doubts upon it. The witness
must be composed and as much as possible avoid being
irritated by up braiding of the opposite counsel. He must
be swayed by passion. He should avoid allowing his
interest in a case or belief in the correctness of his own
conclusions to make him an advocate or partisan. He
appears in order to present any facts he may have
discovered, to interpret these and other facts to help the
court with his opinions and his evidence should be given
without bias to either side.
ROLE OF FORENSIC CHEMIST/FORENSIC
CHEMICAL OFFICER IN SCIENTIFIC
INVESTIGATION
A Forensic Chemist/Forensic Chemical
Officer is responsible for applying the natural
and applied sciences to the investigation of
crimes by learning to perform laboratory
examinations of physical evidences submitted
to the Crime Laboratory.
Methods used by a Forensic Chemist/Forensic
Chemical Officer
To examine, evaluate and identify physical
evidence, the forensic chemist/forensic chemical
officer utilizes the following:
chemicals
microscopes
chromatographic technique
Gas Chromatography (GC)
High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
Liquid Chromatography
 – Paper Chromatography
– Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)
– Reversed-phase
4. Spectroscopic methods
Infrared (IR)
Ultraviolet and Visible (UV-Vis)
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
5. Comparative technique
Two General Type of examination in Forensic Chemistry
1. Qualitative examination – identification of substance
present in the sample.
2. Quantitative examination – determining the percent
purity of the substance.