Western Kentucky University
Forensic Soil Analysis: Characterization of the Sand Fraction
Abstract
dc:description.abstractThe purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive analytical method for the characterization of soil by examining particle size, elemental composition, and percent organic matter in soil, and to determine its forensic applicability. In this study, five soils of varying geological locations were examined including two samples from Kentucky; two samples from Pennsylvania; and one from Washington D C A Gilson sonic sieve shaker was used to separate fractions of soil to determine particle size, and a JEOL scanning electron microscope with a Kevex EDS detector was used to determine elemental composition. These techniques coupled with percent total carbon analysis (determined with a LECO CHN-1000) provide a method that measures three forensic properties instead of one for the forensic comparison of soil.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Science
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Department of Chemistry
- Year
- 1997
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Baize, John
Subjects
dc:subject × 2Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/767
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-1770