Portable x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) is a reliable, rapid and noninvasive technique. Recently, it has been used in a wide variety of fields where the sample must still be available after examination or when qualitative information on chemical composition is needed quickly to perform more detailed studies. These properties also make it suitable for forensic investigations, as shown by some recent reports. In the present work, a systematic evaluation of metal micro traces in electric marks was performed in a case of death by electrocution (high‐voltage current). The results are promising, as XRF has been shown to be a suitable tool not only for skin fragments but also for graphite adhesive tapes placed on the body skin areas of forensic interest and then analyzed. The latter finding proves that skin samples at autopsy are not the only valuable sampling method, thus paving the way for the application of XRF in the diagnosis of electrical injuries in living individuals as well.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.