Is there a real danger of concealing gunshot residue (GSR) particles by skin debris using the tape-lift method for sampling GSR from hands?

Experiments were carried out to assess the danger of concealing GSR particl es by skin debris using the tape-lift method for sampling GSR from hands. T hirty discrete spherical particles (from GSR and from the debris of oxygen cutting of steel) sized from 8 to 30 microns were mounted on a double-side adhesive coated stubs in known locations using a stercomicroscope. These st ubs were then used for dabbing hands 50 times. Some of the particles or par ts thereof were covered by skin flakes, however, all particles could be det ected using the backscattered electron image (BEI) in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Also, all could be identified by the energy dispersive X -ray spectroscopy (EDX).