UNIT VI. Gunpowder and Explosives

UNIT VI.
GUNPOWDER & EXPLOSIVES
Overview
In the investigation of crimes involving the use of firearms, law enforcement

officers need to know whether a suspect has fired a gun or not and the gunshot
range or the approx. distance of the shooter to victim. When a firearm is
discharged unburned particles of the gunpowder may escape thru the breech of
the gun and deposit on the hands of the shooter, on the clothing of the victim and
some may remain in the barrel. These gunpowder residues can be detected by
chemical examination.
In connection with suspected bombings the lab is requested to detect traces
of explosives that may be found in remains of parts of a bomb. Explosives like
improvised and manufactured dynamites used in illegal fishing, are also
examined.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the unit I am able to:
1. Define relevant terms.

2. Identify the chemical and physical properties of gun powder and explosives.
Lesson Proper
In the investigation of crimes involving the use of firearms, three most important
problems may arise:
1. Determination of whether or not a person has fired a gun with his bare
hands within a pertinent period of time.
2. Determination of the probable gunshot range, which is the distance the
firearm was held from the body of the victim at the time of discharge.
3. Determination of the approximate time of firing of the gun or the
approximate date of last discharge.
Two Kinds of Gunpowder

1. Blackpowder – It is consist of an intimate mixture of charcoal (Carbon -15%),
(Sulfur – 10%), and (KNO3 or NaNO3 – 75%).
2KNO3 + 3C + S → 3CO2 + K2S + N2
2. Smokeless powder - It is consists of cellulose nitrate or glyceryl nitrate

combined with cellulose nitrate and some stabilizers. When exploded the
following reactions occur:
C12H14O4(NO3)6 → 9CO + 3N2 +7H2O + 3CO2
cellulose nitrate
4C3H5(NO3) 3 → 12CO2 +10H2O + 6N2 + O2

glyceryl nitrate
Possible locations of gunpowder residue
1. Residue of the barrel of the gun.

2. In or around the wound.
3. On the clothing of the person fired upon at close range.
4. On the exposed surface of the hand of the person firing the gun.
Factors that affect the presence and amount of gunpowder residues
1. Type and caliber of the ammunition.

2. Length of the barrel of the gun.
3. Distance of the muzzle of the gun from the target
4. Humidity
5. Wind velocity and direction.
6. Direction of firing.
Paraffin test (Dermal Nitrate test or Diphenylamine test or Lunge’s test) – a test
to determine whether a person fired a gun or not with his bare hands. The basis
of this test is the presence of nitrates in the gunpowder residue. Warm melted-
paraffin wax applied on the hands of the shooter will cause the pores of the skin
to open and exude the particles of the gunpowder residue. These particles are
collected by the paraffin cast and will appear as blue specks, when the
diphenylamine reagent is added on the cast. The specks are generally located on
the area of the thumb and forefingers.
Positive Result – Deep blue specks develop when nitrates comes in contact with
diphenylamine reagent.
Note: The result of this test is not conclusive because it does not always show
that nitrates or nitrites were necessary results of discharge of firearms. Other
substances yield the same positive reaction for nitrates or nitrites, such as
explosives, fireworks, pharmaceuticals, and leguminous plants such as peas,
beans, and alfalfa. (People v. Baconguis, 417 SCRA 66, December 2, 2003).
Factors to be Considered in the Interpretation of Paraffin Test Result:
1. Time of reaction
2. Number of specks
3. Location of specks
4. Character of specks
Other Sources of Nitrates:

1. Fertilizers 5. Tobacco
2. Urine 6. Detergents
3. Explosives 7. Firecrackers
4. Cosmetics
Possibilities That a Person Maybe Found Negative Even If He Actually Fired
a Gun:
1. Use of automatic pistol

2. Direction of wind
3. Wind velocity
4. Excessive perspiration
5. Use of gloves
6. Knowledge of chemicals that will remove the nitrates
Determination of the Probable Gunshot Range:
The clothing of the victim with bullet perforations should be submitted for
possible gunshot range. It is only possible to determine the probable gunshot
range if the gun was fired from a distance of zero (contact firing) to 36 inches (3
feet) based on the distribution of powder patterns or the spread of a shot
pattern.
Three Zones of Distance

1. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held directly in contact with the
body or practically so. (contact wounds).
Contact wounds – Damage (on cloth) is due more to the flame and the muzzle
blast than to the penetration of the bullet. Describe by the following;
a. Gaping hole where fabric is badly torn,
b. Blackened area surrounding the bullet hole,
c. Singeing of the fibers at the entrance, and
d. Presence of partially burned powder residues around the entrance hole.
2. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held from about 2 inches to 36
inches away.
3. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held from 36 inches or more.
Distance from which the Characteristic Pattern

firearm was discharge
0 to 2 inches Gaping hole, smudging, singeing, tattooing and
burning. Smoke & soot is deposited around the hole
of entrance producing a dirty, grimy appearance.
Individual specks of tattooing around the hole are
visible with the naked eye.
2 inches to 8 inches Smudging
8 inches to 36 inches Partially burned and unburned powder particles are
driven into the surface around the gunshot hole
producing a black coarsely peppered pattern called
tattooing.
Beyond 36 inches Evidence of powder tattooing is seldom present.
Nitrate particles may be present.
Determination of the Probable Time The Gun Has Been Fired
1. Rust: Formation of rust inside the barrel after a gun has been fired is a good
indication for the determination of the approximate time the gun has been
fired.
a. If a gun has not been fired at all, no rust can be detected inside the barrel of
the gun.
b.If a gun has been fired, iron salts are formed and are found inside the
barrel. This iron salts are soon oxidized resulting in the formation of rust.
2. Presence of nitrite (NO2) – firearms could have been fired recently. Gives
blue color in paraffin test results.
3. Presence of nitrate (NO3) – firearms could have been fired but not recently.
Gives a yellow green color in paraffin test results.
Types of Explosives
1. Mechanical – such as those caused by expansion of gas producing high

pressure beyond capacity of the container.
2. Atomic – resulting from atomic transformations.
3. Chemical – produced thru the extremely rapid transformations of the
unstable substances accompanied by the formation of heat.
Classification of Explosives
The speed of the chemical reaction or detonation of the explosives
determines the classification of explosives as low, initiating or high explosives.
1. Low explosives are low burning and are used mainly as propellants, like
black powder and smokeless powder. Atomic explosive is results from
atomic transformations.
2. Primary or initiating explosives are extremely sensitive to detonation by
heat, shock friction and impact. They detonate without burning, like lead
oxide and mercury fulminate.
3. High explosives detonate under the influence of shock of the explosion of a
primary explosive. Examples are the following:
a. Ammonium nitrate – the cheapest and most readily available salt of nitric
acid.
b. TNT (trinitrotoluene) – the most widely used explosive.
c. Nitroglycerine – most widely used commercial explosive.
d. RDX – considered as one of the most important military explosive used
today.
e. C4 – a plastic explosive which is white and dough like in texture.
f. Chloroacetophenone – CN is the principal component in the filler used in
tear gas solutions.
4. Fire Bombs – Molotov cocktail which is an incendiary device, acids mixed
with gasoline, alcohol and gasoline, etc.
References
Melcon S. Lapina, MSCrim, Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology, [Powerpoint
slides]
Aries Gallandez, Forensic Chemistry, International School of Asia and the Pacific,
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UNIT VI.

GUNPOWDER & EXPLOSIVES

In the investigation of crimes involving the use of firearms, law enforcement

At the end of the unit I am able to:

1. Define relevant terms.

Two Kinds of Gunpowder

2KNO3 + 3C + S → 3CO2 + K2S + N2

2. Smokeless powder - It is consists of cellulose nitrate or glyceryl nitrate

4C3H5(NO3) 3 → 12CO2 +10H2O + 6N2 + O2

Possible locations of gunpowder residue

1. Residue of the barrel of the gun.

Factors that affect the presence and amount of gunpowder residues

1. Type and caliber of the ammunition.

Factors to be Considered in the Interpretation of Paraffin Test Result:

Other Sources of Nitrates:

1. Use of automatic pistol

Determination of the Probable Gunshot Range:

Three Zones of Distance

Distance from which the Characteristic Pattern

Determination of the Probable Time The Gun Has Been Fired

1. Mechanical – such as those caused by expansion of gas producing high

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