Early Forensic Analysis

Forensics is defined as scientific tests or techniques used in connection with the detection of crime. The chemical advancements developed in this field stem from hundreds of years ago, where poisons, especially arsenic, were an extremely popular way of killing people. This led to the first organized criminal investigation using a chemical test in 1752. This was the Blandy Trail, where the suspected poison was arsenic, and tests were conducted to prove so. Some of these early tests include putting the suspected poison into cold water and part of it would remain on the water’s surface, but most of it stayed on the bottom undissolved which would also happen with a known sample of arsenic1. Another example of early chemical testing in forensics is the Marsh test, which was developed in 1836. The Marsh Test is a sensitive test for arsenic where the substance to be tested is treated with hydrogen so that any arsenic present bonds with the hydrogen to create arsine, which then decomposes into a black deposit of arsenic2. These early tests paved the way for much more advanced testing in the identification of not only poisons, but many other substance. Modern forensics encompasseses organic and inorganic analysis, toxicology , arson investigation, and serology, as well as other branches of science. These forensic techniques aid in the analysis of a crime scene and apprehension of a …show more content…
It is mainly used for identification of organic and inorganic substances found at the scenes of crimes. Some of the sub-sections include paper chromatography, electrophoresis, and DNA analysis. Paper chromatography in forensics is used to identify different kinds of drugs, food, and other substances. This is done by putting solutes in a mobile phase through a stationary phase by way of a solvent. This separates substances to identify and makes it easier to identify them by way of where they land on the