Forensic chemistry primarily involves which of the following?

• A. Analysis of drugs, toxic substances, and unknown chemicals
• B. Analysis of handwriting and document authenticity
• C. Analysis of fiber and textile identification
• D. Analysis of glass shard composition

Answer: (D)

Forensic chemistry centers on identifying and characterizing substances by their chemical makeup, using instrumental analysis to determine what a material is and what it contains. When glass shards are analyzed, the goal is to uncover their chemical and elemental composition—major components, trace elements, and formulation details. Techniques like X-ray fluorescence, SEM-EDS, or other spectroscopy methods reveal a chemical fingerprint that can distinguish different types of glass, indicate manufacturing processes, or suggest a potential source. This kind of chemical characterization is a quintessential task for forensic chemists because it translates a piece of physical evidence into concrete material information that can be compared, matched, or ruled out in an investigation.

Handwriting and document authenticity belong to forensic document examination, where analysis focuses on writing patterns, ink properties, and paper characteristics to assess genuineness. Fiber and textile identification involves microscopic and dye analyses to determine fiber type and origin, which is more about trace evidence and materials science. While chemistry can play a role in those areas, the primary, defining work of forensic chemistry is the chemical analysis of substances like glass to reveal their composition and source.