Onsite Measurement of Lead in Gunshot Residues Using Linear Sweep Voltammetry

Wade Lonsdale1, Magdalena Wajrak2 and S. Ridgway2

1. B3 Company, 7 Collingwood Street, Osborne Park, WA 6000, Australia

2. School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia

Abstract: This work presents a method for the measurement of Pb by linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetry on an Hg film electrode. The linear working range for Pb was up to 100 μgL-1, whilst the limit of detection was 19 ngL-1 (360 seconds accumulation time) and per cent residual standard deviation across 10 measurements was 0.98%. The method was applied to gunshot residues for the onsite monitoring of Pb at a public shooting range.

Key words: mercury film electrode, lead, anodic stripping voltammetry, gunshot residue