Chemical characterization of soda-lime glass samples by in situ current normalised PIGE and conventional INAA methods for forensic applications

Nuclear analytical methods namely in situ current normalised Particle Induced Gamma Ray Emission (PIGE) and conventional Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) were utilized for determining major, minor and trace concentrations of eighteen elements in five soda-lime (automobile) glass samples. Concentration of four major elements (Si, Na, Mg and Al) by PIGE and fourteen elements including ten trace elements by INAA were determined. For forensic application, major elements were used for confirming the class of glass samples, whereas concentration results of trace elements like transition and rare earth elements were utilized for finding similarity or differences among the glass samples.