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The survival of metallic residues from gunshot wounds in cremated bone: a radiological study

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Abstract

In literature, many studies have been performed in order to investigate the presence of GSR (“gunshot residue”) and metallic residues in general with radiological techniques on several types of material, but the survival of metallic residues on charred samples has never been systematically performed. In this study, 31 adult bovine ribs underwent a shooting test. Every rib was shot with a single bullet, at a near-contact shooting distance, using two kinds of projectile: 17 samples were shot with a full metal-jacketed bullet and the remaining 14 with an unjacketed bullet. After the shooting test, every rib underwent a “charring cycle” in an electric oven up to 800°C. Every sample underwent radiological investigation with conventional radiography, before and after the burning process, to evaluate any changes in number and distribution of metallic residues. Radiographs showed survival of radiopaque residues in every sample, even after the charring process, especially when the bullet used was of the unjacketed type.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mr Giancarlo Scarpa and the staff of the firing ground of Pavia for their collaboration during the experiment and the butchery of Parma for the bovine ribs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LABANOF, Laboratorio di Antropologia ed Odontologia Forense, Sezione di Medicina Legale, DMU, Istituto di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, V. Mangiagalli 37, Milan, Italy

    Alberto Amadasi & Cristina Cattaneo

  2. Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Veterinarie, Sezione di Radiologia Veterinaria Clinica e Sperimentale, V. Celoria 10, Milan, Italy

    Simone Borgonovo & Mauro Di Giancamillo

  3. Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, Pavia, Italy

    Alberto Brandone

Authors
  1. Alberto Amadasi
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  2. Simone Borgonovo
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  3. Alberto Brandone
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  4. Mauro Di Giancamillo
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  5. Cristina Cattaneo
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Correspondence to Cristina Cattaneo.

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Amadasi, A., Borgonovo, S., Brandone, A. et al. The survival of metallic residues from gunshot wounds in cremated bone: a radiological study. Int J Legal Med 126, 363–369 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-011-0633-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-011-0633-y

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