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Technical Articles and Books

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Our unique problem solving skills in microscopy and microchemistry can be applied to a wide range of materials beyond forensic trace evidence.  To expose the applications of these techniques to other industries, Microtrace routinely writes articles for or is interviewed by trade journals in a wide range of disciplines.  In addition, we have written chapters in a variety of technical scientific books.

Articles:

"Differentiation of calcite and dolomite using dispersion colors" by Jack Hietpas (Microscope, 54, 37-41).

"Forensic Science and Academic Science: Comment on Forensic Science: Oxymoron?" by Chris Palenik and Skip Palenik (Science, 303, p1136). (Download PDF)

"Forensic Analysis" by Edward Bartick and Skip Palenik (Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, 2004)

Review of Mute Witness: Trace Evidence Analysis by Skip Palenik (Journal of Forensic Science, V48, 2003)

Washington State Patrol Quarterly Report for Agency Bureaus: (see page 7) (April-June, 2002)

Leica reSolution: "The Real Role of the Forensic Scientist is to Uncover the Truth" by Wayne Buttermore (1/02 p19) for German version; click here:

Paint and Coatings Industry: "Applying Chemical Microscopy to the Coatings Industry by Skip Palenik

This article describes some of the types of microscopes and microscopical techniques used to prepare coatings and coatings materials for study.

Microscopy and Microanalysis: "Forensic Microscopy" by Skip Palenik (November, 1997)

This article describes the ways in which a microscopist can aid forensic investigations through a comparative examination or investigative microscopy.  The variety of materials and techniques used by a microscopist is illustrated through case examples of the Atlanta Child Murders, the Narita Airport Bombing and the Booker T. Hillery retrial.

Industrial Research and Development: "Microscopy and the Law" by Skip Palenik (March, 1979)

A short article that explains the histroy of trace evidence in the courtroom and the training necessary of a modern forensic scientist.  This article covers some of the analytical skills of a light microscopist illustrated through a review of two cases, one involving soil, the other, fibers.

Micro Notes: "A Case of Art Fraud Unmasked" by Skip Palenik (July, 1999)

This article discusses the microscopical approach to "the detection of art and archaeology hoaxes" through an example of an early Greek bronze statue debunked.

Crime Laboratory Digest: "Isolation and Identification of Paint Pigments by Sublimation" by Skip Palenik (Spring 1996)

The small particle size of pigments makes analytical study difficult.  This articles discusses a microchemical technique developed to isolate and concentrate pigments from paint for further analysis.

Microscope: "The Microscopical Differentiation of Dog and Cat Hairs" by Chris Palenik (V38, 1989)

This article discusses a microscopical means for quantitatively distinguishing between dog and cat hair.

Food Technology: "Microscopy and Image Analysis for R&D" ed. by Judie D. Dziezak (July 1988)

The application of various microscopic to the study of food products.

Industrial Chemical News: "How analytical tools are improving forensic chemistry" (March, 1985)

An article describing the new analytical techniques being applied to forensic science and the importance of retaining traditional analytical techniques such as microscopy.

Chemical and Engineering News: "Low-Cost FTIR Microscopy Units Gain Wider Use in Microanalysis" (December 9, 1985)

This article discusses the forensic applications of micro-infrared spectrometetry.

Microscope: "Light Microscopy of Medullary Micro-Structure in Hair Identification" by Skip Palenik (1983)

Medullary micro-structures has significant taxonomic value in animal hair identification.  Commonly employed mounting and observation techniques are often incapable of showing this structure clearly.  Hair splitting, followed by clearing of the medulla with glycerine-alcohol and examination with the oil immersion objective, demonstrates most of the useful identifying features without recourse to the SEM.

American Laboratory: "Comparison microscopy in the industrial laboratory" by Skip Palenik (December, 1980)

This article discusses the use of the comparison microscopy in the industrial laboratory.

Technology and Conservation: "The polarizing microscope: a valuable analytical instrument in conservation" by Skip Palenik (Summer 1977)

Vewing anisotropic materials- pigments, fibers, media, paper, corrosion products, minerals, some alloys and metals - under polarized light can readily reveal internal structural features, allowing clearer, more rapid identification of the sample than is possible with otehr microscopical procedures.

Industrial Research: "In the study of air pollutants chemical microscopy lets us see: The Solids We Breathe" by Walter C. McCrone and Skip Palenik (April, 1977)

This article discusses the variations in air particulate composition and the identification of unknown atmospheric particles.

Industrial Research: "The Microscope in Art and Archeology: Is it Jade?" by John Gustav Delly and Skip Palenik (May, 1976)

There is hardly any field of scientific inquire which cannot benefit in some way by the application of microscopical methods.  This is illustrated in this article by technical examinations using microscopy in the related fields of art and archaeology which offer some of the most interesting challenges and provide the most elegant solutions to the problems which arise in these studies.  There is virtually no object of art or archaeological artifact which does not lend itself to microscopical examination.  In fact, it was, at least in part the necessity for studying the minute amounts of materials available for such examinations that gave much of the impetus necessary to the development of microchemical analysis in the first half of the century.