Use of different investigation methods of soil for forensic purpose

With its specific background and methods, geology may help forensic scientists considerably when doingresearches and analyses. Based on the procedures used in the National Forensic Laboratory, we have beenresearching and comparing 15 soil samples from different locations. We divided them into 3 groups, of which eachcomprised one pair of samples of the same location. By comparing colour, density and mineral composition in thesoil samples, we tried to determine which two samples originated from the same location. We were comparingthe results of individually used research methods and tried to evaluate which provide the best sample matches.Furthermore, we were comparing how the mineral composition of the samples and their bedrock match. The bestmatch was achieved by applying the method of X-ray powder diffraction, which clearly showed identical samplescollected from the same location. When measuring density, the values varied according to the location site, fromwhich the comparative and conflicting samples were taken. The change of density was observed in the distanceof less than one meter. For the field of forensic science the exact location of sample collection is of crucial importance.The proximity of sample collecting has considerable impact on density, as longer distances do not providecomparative results, whereas a short distance may present us with highly matching samples, the method which iswidely considered applicable in forensic science. By applying the method of X-ray powder it is possible to acquirecomparative results at the distance of several meters; in forensic science, however, this does not provide acceptableresults for defining the identity of the location.