Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 29 Number 2 (2025): 1361

 

Research Article

 

Determination of elemental ratios correlating to the projectiles of conventional and non-toxic ammunitions

 

Uma Rashmika Bominathan1,2, Syamsul Anuar Abd Malik2, Ahmad Fahmi Lim Abdullah1, Kah Haw Chang1*

 

1Forensic Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

2Royal Malaysia Police, Forensic Laboratory, Jalan Cheras Kajang, Batu 8 1/2 Taman Cuepacs, 43200 Cheras, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: changkh@usm.my

 

Received: 22 September 2024; Revised: 15 December 2024; Accepted: 17 December 2024; Published: xx April 2025

 

Abstract

'Non-toxic' ammunitions are unveiled to achieve comparable ballistic performance to conventional ammunition while simultaneously mitigating the risk of hazardous heavy metals. Previous studies greatly emphasized the analysis of gunshot residues released by these ammunitions; however, the elemental profiles of their respective projectile cores were less explored. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the elemental ratios correlating to the projectiles of both conventional and non-toxic ammunitions. In this study, three projectiles from eight ammunition types were collected, acid-digested, and analysed to detect antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, silver, tin, and zinc through inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Projectiles from Geco 9 mm and ARX 9 mm ammunitions were detected with low levels of lead but higher copper content, differentiating them from those conventional projectiles where lead was the major composition. The varying copper-zinc ratios also suggested the jacketed projectiles. Subsequently, the principal component analysis applied to the relative elemental abundance successfully formed six clusters, allowing for discrimination. To conclude, elemental ratios correlated to the type of projectiles can be useful when compared with the projectiles found on the scene, perhaps to link to the residues on an impact mark made by any projectile.

 

Keywords: Projectile, ammunition, ICP-MS, element, discrimination

 

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