The Use of Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction for the Examination of Associated Clay and Silt Coatings of Forensically Important Sandy Soils from the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia

Abstract

The thesis examined the use of Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction (both laboratory and synchrotron) for the multivariate statistical comparison of the clay and fine silt fractions recovered from quartz grains in soils for forensic purposes. With a focus on soils from the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia, the approach developed was applied to 2 forensic cases where soil analysis was originally undertaken by the Forensic Science Laboratory.