E-Paper
PU devises promising method for forensic analysis of wood
The method can prove useful in forensic work of crime scenes and creation of a database of wood to prevent its smuggling.
A research carried out at the Institute of Forensic Science and Criminology, Panjab University, has revealed a new method which can be used for the forensic analysis of wood and trace it to its origin.
The method can be useful in forensic work of crime scenes and creation of a database of wood to prevent its smuggling.
The research, which has been published in ‘Vibrational Spectroscopy’ by Elsevier journal on June 27, has been carried out by PU assistant professor Dr Vishal Sharma in collaboration with the Department of Wood Science, Mendel University, Czech Republic.
During the study, various hardwood and softwood samples were collected and analysed using infrared spectroscopy. The research was further validated by analysing unknown wood samples to predict their source/origin using the same technique.
Stating the applications of the method, Dr Sharma said, “In the type of crimes where wooden objects are pieces of trace evidence or weapons used to commit them, the wood fragments get attached to the perpetrators or victims. These fragments can often be identified and linked to standards from crime scenes using this method.”
Even the smuggling of wood can be prevented using infrared lasers for onsite crime scene analysis and this method can also be used in establishing the area of origin of the wood species, he said.
The PU faculty is planning to contact the Union environment, forest and climate change ministry about the exploration of further research in this area.
Dr Sharma said this method gives better and more accurate results on wood analysis than all the other techniques and the results are readily acceptable for criminal proceedings in the court of law. “Above all it is a non-destructive method. It can be used to create the database of wood samples of any country for future reference and matching,” he said.
