NIJ Training Course for Firearm Examiners: Chemical Testing Technique Using the Bashinski Procedure

The Basinski transfer is carried out as follows:

One -  position the area to be tested. Place a piece of laboratory filter paper over the test area.

Two - place a test mark on the filter paper index the filter paper and pencil relative to the test item indicating the location of the suspected bullet holes, seams, buttons, buttonholes, pockets, rips, tears, etc for future reference.

Three - prepare the filter paper. Dampen the filter paper uniformly wet positioned on the test item by spraying with a 15% solution of glacial acetic acid the distilled or deionized water

Four - lift residues from item. Cover the dampened filter paper with several layers and dry filter paper and apply heat with an iron until the paper is dry.

Five - perform color test. Remove the original filter paper from direct contact with the test item. Spray the filter paper with a saturated solution of sodium rhodizonate. Spray the filter paper with the buffered solution. This solution eliminates the yellow background color caused by the sodium  establishes a pH of 2.8 and displays a pink color in the presence of lead and some other heavy metals. Spray the filter paper with the hydrochloric acid solution. The pink color fades leaving a blue violet color indicating the presence of lead. Note that positive blue violet indications are mirror image of the deposition on the test item.

Six - label and retain test paper. Mark the previous pencil marks placed on the test paper and ink when the paper is dry. Label with additional data according to laboratory protocol. This result can fade quickly observations should be photographed and documented promptly.