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Chemistry
Mission
The Chemistry Unit conducts timely, high-quality chemical and metallurgical
analyses on evidence, reports findings, provides testimony in court,
assists in crime scene investigations, and provides advanced training
to law enforcement agencies to support the investigative priorities
of the FBI and the law enforcement community.
The Team
Chemists, forensic examiners, metallurgists, and instrument managers
The Work
General Chemistry
Analyze
unknown powders, liquids, and stains to determine the chemical
identity or characteristics.
The cases assigned to this subunit usually involve threat letters,
dyes, and tear gases associated with bank dye packs, drug
and pharmaceutical
analyses, ink analyses, analysis of petroleum products, gunshot primer
residue (GSR) analyses, and analysis of flammable fluids.
Metallurgy
Conduct metallurgical analysis
of materials. This is a specialty discipline that few forensic laboratories
have available. Therefore, this subunit receives a large number of cases
from other federal agencies, as well as state and local contributors. FBI
cases submitted to this subunit tend to involve major bombing investigations. Paints & Polymers
Analyze evidence for paint, tapes, adhesives, and
other polymeric materials. The cases submitted to this subunit tend to
evolve from hit-and-run homicides, espionage, bombings, and counterterrorism
investigations. This subunit also maintains the National Automotive Paint
File that has entries from as far back as the 1930s. The Paints and
Polymers Subunit also serve as the U.S. repository for the Paint Data Query
database. Both of these databases are relied upon by state and local
law enforcement agencies investigating hit-and-run homicides.
Toxicology
Analyze biological samples and food evidence for the
presence of poisons and drugs. In addition to the numerous case submissions
from FBI field office investigations, this subunit provides substantial support
to state and local agencies who lack appropriate resources to carry out needed
toxicological examinations.
Instrument
Operation & Support
Maintain and repair all of the Chemistry
Unit's analytical instrumentation while ensuring that all are
fully compliant with quality assurance mandates. While this subunit
is not directly involved in case analyses, it is responsible
for over 175 different instruments within the Chemistry Unit.
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