Químicos Forenses en la intervención en autopsias

Forensic chemists' analysis can provide leads for investigators, and they can confirm or refute their suspicions. The identification of the various substances found at the scene can tell investigators what to look for during their search. During fire investigations, forensic chemists can determine if an accelerant such as gasoline or kerosene was used; if so, this suggests that the fire was intentionally set. Forensic chemists can also narrow down the suspect list to people who would have access to the substance used in a crime. For example, in explosive investigations, the identification of RDX or C-4 would indicate a military connection as those substances are military grade explosives. On the other hand, the identification of TNT would create a wider suspect list, since it is used by demolition companies as well as in the military. During poisoning investigations, the detection of specific poisons can give detectives an idea of what to look for when they are interviewing potential suspects. For example, an investigation that involves ricin would tell investigators to look for ricin's precursors, the seeds of the castor oil plant.

Forensic chemists also help to confirm or refute investigators' suspicions in drug or alcohol cases. The instruments used by forensic chemists can detect minute quantities, and accurate measurement can be important in crimes such as driving under the influence as there are specific blood alcohol content cutoffs where penalties begin or increase. In suspected overdose cases, the quantity of the drug found in the person's system can confirm or rule out overdose as the cause of death.

Blood Analysis: Aside from being used for identification of suspects, the contents of blood on a crime scene can be evaluated to reveal the presence of substances. For this evaluation, a chemist will perform a chromatography test, which uses intense heat to separate the blood into different contents. Afterward, a chemist determines the level of substances such as alcohol or medication that would affect the suspect´s actions and motivations during a given crime. How does Chemistry relate to Forensic Science?
DNA Forensics in Criminal Cases: DNA forensics is used in criminal cases to match the DNA of an individual to that of body cells left at a crime scene, such as skin cells, hair, and blood. The FBI most commonly uses STR-analysis for its cases. With STR-analysis, chemists take DNA samples from areas at the crime scene. These are then compared with the DNA profiles of individuals booked in an expansive database called CODIS to identify suspects. How does Chemistry relate to Forensic Science?
Firearms Analysis: Chemistry is often used in crimes involving firearms in order to identify information from recovered bullets and residue. For example, a forensic scientist will examine a suspect´s hands and clothes with infrared lights to look for gunpowder residue. If this residue matches that of the bullet found in the victim, there is evidence that the suspect recently fired the same type of firearm responsible for harming the victim. If no gunpowder residue is found on a suspect, a chemical analysis of the bullet can still reveal information such as the type of firearm used and how long ago the bullet was fired.