Forensic Chemistry
Objectives
The student should be able to acquire competences in the research area of forensic chemistry and the comprehension of the way of analyzing the chemical evidence of drugs, combustion, DNA and ID.
General characterization
Code
7916
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Ana Maria Ferreira da Costa Lourenço, Marco Diogo Richter Gomes da Silva
Hours
Weekly - 3
Total - 52
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
There are no requirements. It is a UC of FCT offer in which, consequently, students from all FCT degrees are accepted.
Bibliography
1. Peter White, Crime Scene To Court - The essentials of Forensic Science, 2nd Ed. , RSC, 1998.
2. Fred Smith, Handbook of Forensic Drug Analysis, RSC, 2004.
3. S. Bell, Forens ic Chemistry, Pearson, 2006.
4. Tilstone, Savage, Clark, Forensic Science - An Encyclopedia of History, Methods, and Techniques, ABC CLIO, 2006.
5. D. Skoog, Fundamentals of analytical Chemistry, Thomson, 8th Ed, 2003.
6. Mozayani and Noziglia, The Forensic Laboratory Handbook Procedures and Practice, 2nd Ed, Humana Press, 2011.
Teaching method
The course has theoretical and practical components. Theoretical classes are taught using power-point presentations. The active participation of students is encouraged in the sequence of presentation of themes.
In each practical class is made the exposition of the specific concepts of each work to be performed in direct writing on the blackboard, followed by the realization of the experimental work by students in the laboratory.
Evaluation method
Theoretical component (70%) - two tests (average ≥ 9.5) or exam note with ≥ 9.5 values.
Practical component (30%) - mandatory attendance of practical classes held one report and one note (overall score ≥ 9.5). It consists in the frequency.
Performance in the Lab -10%; Report - 10%, Note - 10%.
The exam can be used as grade improvement of the average of the two tests, and will average to note the frequency for the final classification.
The attendance to each of the two proposed seminars gives 0,5 points increment in the final mark before rounding.
Subject matter
I - Background
Brief historical evolution of forensic areas.
II - Essential Elements
Legal aspects.
Sampling, Quality of analytical results.
Preparation of samples, analyses and instrumentation.
III - Chemical analysis of physical evidence
A - Drug analysis.
Forensic analysis of drugs.
Drugs with basic character.
B - The chemistry of combustion - arson, explosion, firing.
C - ID detection.
D - DNA .
IV - Doping.