Which is a common forensic application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry?

Which is a common forensic application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry?

• A. Sourcing drugs or determining geographic origin of materials.
• B. Dating bones beyond radiocarbon dating.
• C. Sequencing DNA from hair.
• D. Classifying soil color.

Answer: (A)

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry analyzes the relative amounts of stable isotopes in a material, creating a signature that reflects where and how the material formed. Different geographic regions and production processes imprint distinct isotope patterns on substances like drugs or their inputs, due to variations in geology, climate, water, and biological factors. By comparing a sample’s isotope ratios to reference signatures, investigators can infer its geographic origin or source—making sourcing drugs or determining geographic origin a common forensic use. Other options rely on methods that IRMS isn’t designed for: dating bones beyond radiocarbon dating uses other dating techniques, sequencing DNA from hair requires molecular genetics, and classifying soil color is a visual or instrumental assessment not based on isotope ratios.

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry analyzes the relative amounts of stable isotopes in a material, creating a signature that reflects where and how the material formed. Different geographic regions and production processes imprint distinct isotope patterns on substances like drugs or their inputs, due to variations in geology, climate, water, and biological factors. By comparing a sample’s isotope ratios to reference signatures, investigators can infer its geographic origin or source—making sourcing drugs or determining geographic origin a common forensic use. Other options rely on methods that IRMS isn’t designed for: dating bones beyond radiocarbon dating uses other dating techniques, sequencing DNA from hair requires molecular genetics, and classifying soil color is a visual or instrumental assessment not based on isotope ratios.