Forensic Characteristics of Colored Polyethylene Bags

The inorganic elemental profiles of colored polyethylene bags were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Homogeneity in single bags and reproducibility of bags in a batch were ascertained. The probability of an incorrect matching of two very similar yellow bag batches was found to be 10−9 to 10−8, while a bag is attributed to its batch with a relatively high probability of the order of 1. These characteristics can be applied in the forensic examination of the colored polyethylene bags often used in drug abuse. Similar properties are reported for transparent polyethylene (no pigment additives), where the concentration of zinc was 0.6 ± 0.1 ppm.