J. Siegel – Forensic Chemistry (2016)

Описание

The most important question that an author or editor should ask when contemplating a new text
or reference book is: Who is the audience? The desired readership guides the depth and
breadth of the book and in the case of Forensic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications,
the selection of authors. This is not an introductory text in forensic science. It is not meant for
the casual reader who may have an interest in the broad subject of forensic chemistry or for the
student beginning a secondary or tertiary (college) level course. This book is about the
applications of chemistry, especially analytical chemistry to various aspects of forensic
science. When I conceptualized this book, I wanted the readership to come in with a solid
foundation in the principles of chemistry. Prior knowledge of forensic chemistry is not a
necessary antecedent, but is a helpful one. I asked the authors of the twelve chapters of this
book to write for an audience of advanced college students, both chemistry and forensic
science majors, faculty who teach forensic and/or analytical chemistry, forensic chemistry
practitioners and, finally, scholarly researchers in analytical and forensic chemistry. If you are
one of these people, I believe that you will find this book to be the definitive reference and
textbook in the field of forensic chemistry.
There are twelve chapters in this book. Ten of them are subject specific; they cover the
common areas of forensic chemistry; abused drugs, textile fibers, paints and polymers, fire
residues, explosives, glass, and soil; and some areas that are not normally thought of as being
part of forensic chemistry, but they surely are. These include chemical analysis of questioned
documents, finger marks, and firearms. The other two chapters could be termed “foundational,”
because they span the entire field of forensic chemistry; these are forensic microscopy and
chemometrics.
Having decided the scope of the book, I very carefully chose the authors. All of them are
outstanding experts in their fields. Every one of them has been or continues to be a practitioner
in forensic chemistry in a private or public forensic science laboratory. Two are currently
forensic science laboratory administrators. Seven are currently educators and researchers with
major universities worldwide, all of which are known for their education in forensic
chemistry.
I have been a forensic chemist since 1974 and have been in forensic science and chemical
education since 1977. I am familiar with all of the major literature in forensic chemistry. As
the twelve chapters of this book came to me for my reading as the editor, I was constantly
blown away by the depth and breadth of knowledge exhibited by every one of the authors. I
believe that you will be similarly impressed. I hope you enjoy and learn from this book.
Finally, I wish to thank all twelve of the experts who contributed chapters to this book. They
all donated many hours of their precious and valuable time to make this the standard work in
forensic chemistry. All of the royalties generated by this book go to the Young Forensic
Scientists Forum of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. They are the future of forensic science in the United States and deserve our support