X-ray fluorescence in forensic science

This article describes the applications of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) as an analytical tool in forensic science, including its limitations and practical aspects. The use of XRF is specifically discussed for the analysis of materials of forensic interest such as metals, gunshot residues (GSRs), paint, glass, soil, fibers, plastic and general polymers, documents, and miscellaneous types of evidence. Developments such as biological tissues micro-XRF, 3-D micro-XRF – an adaptation of micro-XRF – and total XRF are also described. These specialized techniques have highly desirable characteristics for the elemental profiling of a wide range of forensic samples, and hence we can anticipate that they will find significant use in forensic laboratories in the future.