Immunocytochemical study on the ultrastructural localization of human-type ABO (H)-blood group activities in a macaque (Macaca irus)

The immunocytochemical study on the ultrastructural localization of human-type ABO(H)-activities in a crab-eating macaque (Macaca irus) was carried out by using postembedding and immuno-gold staining method. The tissue specimens examined were the esophagus, stomach (St), small intestine (Si), large intestine, liver, kidney, and pancreas. The specimens from these organs and submandibular gland (Sg) of a human (O-group) were used as staining reaction controls. Primary and secondary antibodies were commercially obtained mouse monoclonal anti-A, -B, -H (IgM), and goat anti-mouse IgM labeled with colloidal gold particles (luminal diameter 20 nm), respectively. The results were as follows: (1) In macaque specimens, only A-activity could be observed as the location of gold particles on the peripheral rim of serous secretory granules (Sg) and of epithelial cells (esophagus), the mucous droplets in epithelial cells and brush border (St, Si), the intracellular secretory canaliculi [ISC (St)] and the zymogen granules and secretory ducts (pancreas). Gold particles could be also noted at the Golgi apparatus and nascent secretory granules. (2) By periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-osmium tetroxide (PA-TCH-OS) reaction, hexose-rich neutral mucopolysaccharides were noted on the peripheral rim of serous secretory granules (Sg), the mucous droplets (St, Si), the ISC (St), and the brush border (Si). Such a distributional pattern corresponded well with that of gold particles, indicating that the substances were responsible for ABO(H)-activities.     

A study of illicit cocaine seizure classification by pattern recognition techniques applied to metal data

Fifteen metallic species, silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), strontium (Sr) and zinc (Zn), were determined in 46 cocaine samples confiscated by the Spanish police in Galicia (northwest Spain). Classification of these cocaine samples according to their geographic origin (Colombia and Venezuela) was achieved by the application of pattern recognition techniques to the metallic content data. Cocaine samples, around 0.5 g, were directly dissolved in 2 mL of 35.0% (v/v) HNO3, diluted to 10 mL with ultrapure water. The metals were quantified by means of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (Ag, Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Sr), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (Ca, Fe, Mg and Zn), and flame atomic emission spectrometry (K and Na). Results show that two geographic origins can be established through the presence of trace and major elements.     

Shotgun shooting in northern India--a review (1980-1999)

Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh undertakes the examination of the crime cases of some northern states of India. The shooting cases of last two decades (1980-1999) involving shotguns were analysed in this laboratory. This paper consists of the study of 360 actual cases of shotguns for evaluation of various parameters, such as type of firearm, number of firearm and firing, location of wound, age, occupation, sex and caste of accused and victim, etc. Out of 360 cases, 253 (70%) were classified as homicidal, 68 (19%) accidental, 11 (3%) suicidal, 9 (2.5%) hunting and 19 (5.5%) cases of insufficient information including the cases of illegal possession of firearm. Single Barrel Breech Loading (SBBL) gun 144 (40%) was preferred over Single Barrel Muzzle Loading (SBML) 109 (30.3%), Double Barrel Breech Loading (DBBL) 72 (20%) and Double Barrel Muzzle Loading (DBML) gun 35 (9.7%). All the breechloader guns were of 12 bore. Muzzleloader gun were recovered only from the remote rural areas. Three hundred and thirty-one (92%) cases involved single, 22 (6%) double and 7 (2%) more than two shotgun. Majority of cases were found of single firing 288 (80%), followed by double 29 (8%) and multi-firing 18 (5%). Eleven (3%) cases were of misfiring and in 14 (4%) cases information was not available. Accidental and suicidal cases had only one firing. The mean age for male and female victim was 31 and 24 years, respectively. Occupationally, agriculture is predominating over business, service and security guards for accused and for victim agriculture followed by service, business, student and security guards are in the descending order. Caste wise the most aggressive community of Kshatriyas is predominating as accused and victim over lower cast people. Head (64%) being a vital part was chosen most frequently for committing suicide followed by body (36%). Service personnel committed maximum number of suicide.     

The changes of fourier transform infrared spectrum in rat brain

Estimation of the time since death (postmortem interval [PMI]) is one of the most difficult problems in forensic investigations, and many methods currently are utilized to estimate the PMI. The goal of this study was to investigate the changes of attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra of rat brain from postmortem time 0-144 h. The intensity ratios of major absorbance bands were examined (I(1066)/I(1392), I(1168)/I(1392), I(1234)/I(1454), I(1301)/I(1392), I(1647)/I(2956), I(2921)/I(2850), and I(1647)/I(1539)). The spectra of rat brain displayed prominent changes with increasing PMI. The band at 2871 and 1737 per cm became weak with the time increasing and even disappeared at postmortem 96 and 72 h, respectively. A close linear correlation was shown between the relative absorption intensity and the PMI, and the I(1234) /I(1454) offered a stronger correlation (r = 0.973). Our results indicate that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy may be a useful technique for estimating the PMI.     

“法”义新论

"法"在字源和词源上有三个系统,即灋、佱、。许慎在《说文》中仅以战国篆文为据,未能考察商至战国前期文字发展的理路,对"灋"的词源解释有误。廌与作为神兽的獬豸有差异,并无掌法神兽之义。灋字在西周时代作为"废"的本字使用,与后世的"法"义并无关联。宗周文化系统中有一个表规范、法则意义的"佱"字;南方文化中有一个表达规范、法则、效法甚至法律的"",因此在先秦时代有宗周的"佱"和南方的""两个与后世"法"有渊源关系的概念系统。这两个系统在春秋中叶至战国时代发生碰撞、融合,最终以""吸纳并取代"佱",并写作"灋"为终结。具有"刑罚"、"审判"之义的"法",通过"灋"的字源和词源无法解释,而当与宗周文化系统之外的南方文化中的系统有关。     

Age estimation by pulp/tooth ratio in canines by mesial and vestibular peri-apical X-rays

Changes in the size of the pulp canal, caused by apposition of secondary dentine, are the best morphometric parameters for estimating age by X-rays. The apposition of secondary dentine is the most frequently used method for age estimation in adult subjects. In two previous papers, we studied the application of the pulp/tooth area ratio by peri-apical X-rays as an indicator of age at death. The aim of the present study was to test the accuracy of age evaluation by combined analysis of labio-lingual and mesial peri-apical X-rays of lower and upper canines. A total of 200 such X-rays were assembled from 57 male and 43 female skeletons of Caucasian origin, aged between 20 and 79 years. For each skeleton, dental maturity was evaluated by measuring the pulp/tooth area ratio according to labio-lingual and mesial X-rays on upper (x(1), x(2)) and lower (x(3), x(4)) canines. Very good agreement was found between intra-observer measurements. Statistical analysis showed that all variables x(1), x(2), x(3), and x(4) and the first-order interaction between x(1) and x(3) contributed significantly to the fit, so that they were included in the regression model, yielding the following regression formula: Age = 120.737 - 337.112x(1) - 79.709x(2) - 364.534x(3) - 65.655x(4) + 1531.918x(1)x(3) . The residual standard error of estimated ages was 3.62 years, with 94 degrees of freedom, and the median of the residuals was -0.155 years, with an interquartile range of 4.96 years. The accuracy of the method was ME = 2.8 years, where ME is the mean prediction error. The model also explained 94% of total variance (R(2) = 0.94).     

实验性急性心肌梗死心肌K~+/Na~+、Mg~(2+)/Ca/~(2+)Zn~(2+)/Cu~(2+)比值变化的研究

用结扎家免左冠状动脉建立急性心肌梗死区的模型,探讨梗死区心肌中K~+/Na~+、Mg~(2+)/Ca/~(2+)、Zn~(2+)/Cu~(2+)比值的变化与急性心肌梗死发生时间的规律。结果提示:(1)K~+/Na~+、Mg~(2+)/Ca/~(2+)比值随心肌缺血时间延长呈进行性下降。K~+/Na~+比值在60min、120min实验组与对照组比较有显著性差异(P<0.01);(2)Zn~(2+)/Cu~(2+)比值各实验组与对照组比较无显著性差异(P>0.05),但实验组随缺血时间延长,Zn~(2+)/Cu~(2+)比值呈下降趋势,120min组比15min、30min、60min组降低约1/2(PC<0.01)。测定心肌梗死区K~+/Na~+、Mg~(2+)/Ca/~(2+)比值可以作为显示和判定急性心肌梗死的重要指标。     

USGS42 and USGS43: human-hair stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic reference materials and analytical methods for forensic science and implications for published measurement results

Because there are no internationally distributed stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic reference materials of human hair, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has prepared two such materials, USGS42 and USGS43. These reference materials span values commonly encountered in human hair stable isotope analysis and are isotopically homogeneous at sample sizes larger than 0.2 mg. USGS42 and USGS43 human-hair isotopic reference materials are intended for calibration of δ(2)H and δ(18)O measurements of unknown human hair by quantifying (1) drift with time, (2) mass-dependent isotopic fractionation, and (3) isotope-ratio-scale contraction. While they are intended for measurements of the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, they also are suitable for measurements of the stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in human and mammalian hair. Preliminary isotopic compositions of the non-exchangeable fractions of these materials are USGS42(Tibetan hair)δ(2)H(VSMOW-SLAP) = -78.5 ± 2.3‰ (n = 62) and δ(18)O(VSMOW-SLAP) = +8.56 ± 0.10‰ (n = 18) USGS42(Indian hair)δ(2)H(VSMOW-SLAP) = -50.3 ± 2.8‰ (n = 64) and δ(18)O(VSMOW-SLAP) = +14.11 ± 0.10‰ (n = 18). Using recommended analytical protocols presented herein for δ(2)H(VSMOW-SLAP) and δ(18)O(VSMOW-SLAP) measurements, the least squares fit regression of 11 human hair reference materials is δ(2)H(VSMOW-SLAP) = 6.085δ(2)O(VSMOW-SLAP) - 136.0‰ with an R-square value of 0.95. The δ(2)H difference between the calibrated results of human hair in this investigation and a commonly accepted human-hair relationship is a remarkable 34‰. It is critical that readers pay attention to the δ(2)H(VSMOW-SLAP) and δ(18)O(VSMOW-SLAP) of isotopic reference materials in publications, and they need to adjust the δ(2)H(VSMOW-SLAP) and δ(18)O(VSMOW-SLAP) measurement results of human hair in previous publications, as needed, to ensure all results on are on the same scales.     

Disentangling the Disability Quagmire in Psychological Injury and Law

This paper aims to critically analyze the evolution of six models of conceptualization, determination, and prediction of occupational disability relevant in the medico-legal context of psychological injury. The six models are the (a) biomedical, (b) forensic, (c) psychosocial, (d) ecological, (e) economic, and (f) biopsychosocial. We will discuss the key commonalities and differences among the models, including disciplinary tradition, research paradigm, recognition of person–environment interaction, key tenets, and implications for practice and research in psychological injury. The paper will highlight and discuss psychosocial issues, often underemphasized in forensic psychological practice, including: (a) balanced assessment of primary, secondary, and tertiary gains and losses, (b) self-perception, (c) disability identity, (d) beliefs and expectations, (e) coping, (f) adaptation and positive growth, (g) social stigma and social reactions to disability, including disability harassment, and (h) recognition of system-based environmental influences and demands. We will provide a special focus on the current state of the science and practice of prediction of disability, of particular interest to researchers and clinicians involved in clinical and occupational prognostication in psychological injuries. Finally, we will draw conclusions and recommendations for future research and best practices in the psychological injury area using a cross-diagnostic, dynamic, functionally based, and integrated biopsychosocial and forensic model of disability.     

A fatality caused by accidental production of hydrogen sulfide.

A 55-year-old male Caucasian truck driver was dead at the scene after breathing hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) produced by an accidental transfer of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) from a tanker truck to a tank containing 4% sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) and iron(II) sulfate (FeSO(4)). Autopsy of the decedent's body revealed pulmonary edema and passive congestion in lungs, spleen, kidneys, and adrenal glands. Postmortem biological samples were analyzed for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and drugs. Since a potential exposure to H(2)S was involved, blood was also analyzed for sulfide (S(2-)). The analysis entailed isolating S(2-) from blood as H(2)S using 0.5M H(3)PO(4), trapping the gas in 0.1M NaOH, and determining the electromotive force using a sulfide ion specific electrode. Acetaminophen at a concentration of 14.3 microg/ml was found in blood, and metoprolol was detected in the blood, liver, and kidney samples. The blood S(2-) level was determined to be 1.68 microg/ml. It is concluded that the cause of death was H(2)S poisoning associated with a hazardous material accident in an industrial situation.     

Exemption of certain systems of records under the Privacy Act. Final rule

This final rule exempts four systems of records (SORs) from subsections (c)(3), (d)(1) through (d)(4), (e)(4)(G) and (H), and (f) of the Privacy Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2): The Automated Survey Processing Environment (ASPEN) Complaint/ Incidents Tracking System (ACTS), HHS/CMS, System No. 09-70-0565; the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Information Tracking System (HITS), HHS/CMS, System No. 09-70-0544; the Organ Procurement Organizations System (OPOS), HHS/CMS, System No. 09-70- 0575; and the Fraud Investigation Database (FID), HHS/CMS, System No. 09-70-0527.     

A case of death after ingestion of an agrochemical spreading agent

An agrochemical spreading agent was found near the slightly decomposed corpse of a deceased female. The appearance of the stomach contents suggested that ingestion of a surfactant had occurred before death. The spreading agent was found to contain nonionic nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO(n)) and anionic sulfonated naphthalene-formaldehyde condensates (SNFC(n)). A solid phase extraction cartridge containing a mixed reversed phase-weak anion exchange sorbent (Oasis WAX, Waters) was used to successfully extract both NPEO(n) and SNFC(n) from the blood. The cartridge was preconditioned with methanol and acetic acid (AcOH). After the dilute blood sample was applied to the cartridge, it was washed with AcOH, and then NPEO(n) and SNFC(n) were eluted with methanol/dichloromethane (7:3, v/v) and 5% NH(3)/80% methanol, respectively. The concentrations of NPEO(n=2-9) and SNFC(n=0) in the blood sample were 7.7μg/mL and 1.8mg/mL, respectively. It is possible that postmortem changes increased the concentration of SNFC(n=0) monomer by breaking down the polymer. However, the behavior of these compounds in the human body is unclear and further case studies are needed to investigate this result.     

A comparison of Demirjian's four dental development methods for forensic age assessment

The aim of this study was to determine the comparative accuracy of Demirjian's four dental development methods for forensic age estimation in the Western Australian population. A sample comprising 143 individuals aged 4.6 to 14.5 years were assessed using Demirjian's four methods for dental development (original 7-tooth: M(2), M(1), PM(2), PM(1), C, I(2), and I(1); revised 7-tooth: M(2), M(1), PM(2), PM(1), C, I(2), and I(1); 4-tooth: M(2), M(1), PM(2), and PM(1); and an alternate 4-tooth: M(2), PM(2), PM(1), and I(1)). When comparing all four methods, the 4-tooth method overestimated age in both males and females by 0.04 and 0.25 years, respectively. The original 7-tooth was least accurate for males, while the original 7-tooth, the revised 7-tooth, and the alternate 4-tooth were unsuitable for females. Therefore, we recommend the 4-tooth method to be used for forensic age estimation in Western Australian males and females, as it has the lowest overall mean deviation and the highest accuracy.     

Fatal Intoxications in a Forensic Autopsy Material from Epirus,Greece, During the Period 1998‐2010

In this retrospective study, we report the epidemiological characteristics of all poisoning deaths in Epirus, Greece, from 1998 to 2010; we present the toxicological findings and the statistical evaluation of the results. This is the first detailed scientific report on all the officially certified poisoning deaths concerning part of the Greek population. A total of 126 poisoning fatalities were recorded, 67 of them being mono‐intoxications (53.2%). The cause of poisoning was as follows: drugs of abuse (60%); carbon monoxide (19.8%); pesticides (9.5%); corrosives (4.8%); pharmaceuticals (4.8%); and spider bite (0.8%). The most frequently detected poisonous substances were as follows: heroin (65 cases), ethanol (55), benzodiazepines (42), carbon monoxide (25), cocaine (17), cannabinoids (17) and pesticides (12). Increasing tendency in poisoning death rates was recorded, due to an increase in accidental poisoning deaths attributed mainly to drugs of abuse (total, accidental, and drugs‐of‐abuse poisoning death rates per 100,000 inhabitants per year were 1.87, 1.19, and 0.79, respectively, in the period 1998–2002 and 3.97, 3.41, and 2.55, respectively, in the period 2007–2010).     

Hair analysis for opiates,cocaine and metabolites. Evaluation of a method by interlaboratory comparison

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a technique for the simultaneous testing of opiates, cocaine and metabolites in hair by interlaboratory comparison. Sixteen forensic and clinical laboratories with different degrees of experience in hair analysis participated voluntarily in the study (no selection criteria were applied). The suggested analytical procedure, the one routinely used in our laboratory, consisted of incubation in HCl 0.1N (45 degrees C, overnight), solid phase extraction (with Bond Elut Certify) cartridges), derivatisation (trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives) and GC-MS analysis. Three different mixtures of finely cut (1 mm or less) hair were prepared using drug-users' and drug-free hair: one 'negative' sample (<0.1 ng/mg for morphine, 6-acetylmorphine (6AM), cocaine and benzoylecgonine (BE)), one 'low concentration' sample (between 0.5 and 2 ng/mg) and one 'high concentration' sample (>3 ng/mg). Accuracy and precision (CV% lower than 5.1, 9.9, 5.2, 3.8, 7.3 and 8.3% for morphine, 6AM, codeine, cocaine, BE, and methylecgonine (ME), respectively; range 0.5-5 ng/mg) of the method and homogeneity of the mixtures were evaluated in our laboratory by intraday (CV% lower than 12% for all analytes) and interday analyses (CV% lower than 17% for all analytes except 6AM, 25%). Participants in the study were grouped into: (1) laboratories (n = 6) obtaining the best qualitative and quantitative values, corresponding to those with long experience in hair analysis; (2) laboratories (n = 5) with no reported false positive and/or false negatives; (3) laboratories (n = 5) with one or more reported false positives/false negatives. The results obtained by the labs of the first group were used as reference values. The scatter of data was similar to those obtained in other published studies.     

Application of discriminant analysis to differentiate between incorporation of cocaine and its congeners into hair and contamination

The requirement to differentiate between incorporation and external contamination of drugs into hair is undisputed, in particular when dealing with compounds which are administered by sniffing or inhalation (e.g. cocaine). With the aim of making this discrimination, hair samples from cocaine (COC) users (group IN) and seized cocaine samples (group OUT) were compared regarding the parameters benzoylecgonine (BZE), ecgonine methyl ester (EME), ecgonine (ECG), anhydroecgonine methyl ester (AEME), cocaethylene (CE) and norcocaine (NCOC). Since most of these compounds may be minor by-products of COC or be formed by biotransformation or chemical degradation, the stability of each substance was carefully examined. COC was found to be converted into significant amounts of BZE, EME and ECG even under mild extraction conditions, while traces of NCOC proved to be a ubiquitous by-product of COC. Cocaine positive hairs and seized cocaine samples (diluted to relevant concentrations) were equally preprocessed and analyzed by LC-MS-MS. Out of the metabolites listed above, NCOC, CE and AEME (each normalised to COC) were significantly increased in the incorporation group (i.e. hair samples from cocaine users). Based on this approach, a statistical discriminant analysis enabled us to make a prediction (and estimation of uncertainty) for each cocaine positive hair sample as to its likelihood of belonging to the group of cocaine users or of being contaminated.     

Synthesis of standards of the most important markers of Leuckart p-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA). Examination of the influence of experimental conditions and a drug diluent on SPE/TLC profiling

The synthesis of characteristic markers of PMMA obtained by Leuckart method was described. The effectiveness of a procedure of SPE/TLC screening profiling of impurities was studied on the basis of selected impurities. The influence of glucose (a drug diluent) on the profile quality was investigated. The intermediate product (characteristic for the Leuckart synthesis) N-formyl-p-methoxymethamphetamine (1) and by-products: N-formyl-p-methoxyamphetamine (2), p-methoxyamphetamine (3), N,N-dimethyl-p-methoxyamphetamine (4), (RS) and (RR/SS) diastereoisomers of bis(1-methyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)amine (meso-5 and rac-5), (RS) and (RR/SS) diastereoisomers of N-methyl-bis(1-methyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)amine (meso-6 and rac-6), N-methyl-1,3-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)propane-2-amine (7) were synthesized. The substrate p-methoxyphenylacetone and the impurities 1 and 4 were used in the study of influence of experimental conditions and glucose on the profiling process and results. The experiments were carried out according to a 2(4) factorial design. The proposed criterions of the profile quality are based on matrix presentation of TLC patterns. They take into account the number of spots revealed, differences between R(f) values and intensity of fluorescence, simultaneously.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system and consolidated billing for skilled nursing facilities--update. Final rule

This final rule updates the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), for fiscal year (FY) 2004. Annual updates to the PPS rates are required by section 1888(e) of the Social Security Act (the Act), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA), and the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA), relating to Medicare payments and consolidated billing for SNFs.     

大鼠死后脑组织的傅里叶变换红外光谱变化

目的应用傅里叶变换红外（Fourier transform infrared．FTIR）光谱技术分析大鼠死后脑组织随死亡时间推移的化学变化过程,为死亡时间推断的研究提供新的途径与数据。方法大鼠断颈处死后置于（30±2）℃环境下,在不同时间点提取大鼠脑皮质．运用FTIR光谱仪检测不同化学基团的变化。结果随着死亡时间的推移,大鼠脑组织FTIR光谱的主要吸收峰峰位没有明显变化．而其峰强有明显差异：（1）与核酸有关的谱带的相对峰强呈明显下降趋势;（2）酰胺Ⅰ、Ⅱ的峰强比（I1647/I1541）呈下降趋势;（3）1456和1398cm^-1谱带的峰强各自呈下降和上升趋势;（4）2852、2871、2923和2958cm^-1谱带的峰强相对于1647cm^-1而言．呈上升趋势。结论脑组织可以作为FTIR光谱技术分析死亡时间的适用检材。     

Detection of fingermarks by colloidal gold (MMD/SMD)--beyond the pH 3 limit

Dust was investigated for its ability to retain source attribution profiles (SAPs) after chemical exposure. Three distinct sources of the organophosphate pesticide acephate were investigated as a proof-of-concept model. In addition, attribution profiles were created and tested using compounds related to chemical warfare agents (CWAs), specifically VX and G-series agents: O-ethyl methylphosphonothioate (EMPTA), N,N-diisopropylmethylamine (DIPMA), N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIEA), diisopropylamine (DIPA), diethyl aniline (DEA), diethyl ethyl phosphonate (DEEP), trimethyl phosphite (TMP), dimethyl hydrogen phosphite (DMHP), diethyl hydrogen phosphite (DEHP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), ethyl methylphosphonate (EMPA), and diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP). Dust was collected from a storage shed, aliquots deposited on carpet and loaded with distinct chemical profiles using an exposure chamber and aerosolizer. After a given period of time (1h, 24h, or 72 h), the dust was extracted and its SAP analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and/or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to determine the association of dust exposed to the same and different chemical sources. PCA results demonstrate that dust samples exposed to distinct chemical sources are clearly differentiated from one another across all collection times. Furthermore, dust aliquots exposed to the same source can be clearly associated with one another across all collection times. When the CWA-related compounds were subjected to elevated temperature (90°C) conditions, it was found that the signature was stable at the 1h and 24h collections. At 72 h and elevated temperature, larger deviations from the control were observed for some compounds. Elevated pH (10) affected the profile to a lesser degree than elevated temperature. Overall, dust is found to be an effective media for the in situ collection of source attribution profiles.