AW: forensic science

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@chello.at>]

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]Im Auftrag von Michael G.

Stabin

Gesendet: Mittwoch, 26. März 2003 18:03

An: radsafe

Betreff: forensic science







I had an interesting question from a student during a presentation to a jr.

high class yesterday - what applications are there for radiation or

radioactivity in forensic science? I am aware of a couple of ideas, but I

don't know how widely they are really applied. Any feedback would be

appreciated. Thanks.

---------------



What comes into my mind right after having read your request, is the

following:



A few years ago we had in Austria a series of terroristic bomb attacks,

executed by a mentally ill person. For one of his activities he used

concrete blocks to position his bombs. After he was caught he denied that he

had poured these concrete blocks. It was found, that the water in his home -

which moreover contained a room, where all kind of bomb requisites were

found - showed a clearly elevated concentration of tritium (the reason is

unknown). The same concentration of tritium was found in the concrete in

question, so it became evident, that it had been produced using the water of

the criminals home. The criminal was convicted and sentenced, but committed

suicide a few days later.



Measurement of C-14 and T has been used in many cases to determine, whether

certain products were of natural origin within the framework of food

control, like for instance vinegar, flavours, alcohol etc. in order to

detect fraud.



So much for today!



Franz



Of course the use of methods like x-ray-fluorescence are also using ionizing

radiation.