Experience in the Application of Forensic Examination Techniques in IAEA Regional Nuclear Forensic Exercises

It was shown that the five-day format of the exercise was sufficient for the participants to practically master the procedure and characteristic features of all the main stages of the investigation of a crime with NRM, from the examination of the crime scene to development of an expert opinion. The procedure for choosing the parameters of the RDD imitators used in the exercises has been worked out. The informativeness of the main methods for performing forensic examinations — SEM-EDX, SIMS, ISP MS and fingerprinting — in the conditions of the short exercises was demonstrated. In environmental samples as well as on the surrounding items in the “workshop of terrorists”, identical particles of NRM simulators were identified — particles of lead oxide with a characteristic morphology — and tungsten microparticles with a modified isotopic composition were also studied. The possibility of the participants mastering the methods of dactyloscopy was also shown. Some mistakes made by the exercises participants were noted, which necessitate additional training and new exercises.