ASTM's forensic science standards present the scientific methodologies employed in the course of forensic investigations, which are carried out in conjunction with criminal or civil legislations. Such investigations include document examination, gunshot residue analysis, psychophysiological detection of deception (polygraph) examinations, ignitable liquid residue extraction, non-volatile memory data collection, writing ink identification, and other practices. These practices involve the use of known laboratory tests such as gas chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and infrared spectroscopy. These forensic science standards are instrumental to forensic scientists and criminal investigators in guiding them with the standard procedures for carryiEg out such examinations.
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Criminalistics
E2451-21 Standard Practice for Preserving Ignitable Liquids and Ignitable Liquid Residue Extracts from Fire Debris Samples
E1967-19 Standard Test Method for the Automated Determination of Refractive Index of Glass Samples Using the Oil Immersion Method and a Phase Contrast Microscope
E1389-95 Standard Practice for Cleanup of Fire Debris Sample Extracts by Acid Stripping (Withdrawn 2003)
E2328-04 Standard Terminology Relating to Seized-Drug Analysis (Withdrawn 2005)
E3260-21 Standard Guide for Forensic Examination and Comparison of Pressure Sensitive Tapes
E2154-15a Standard Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Passive Headspace Concentration with Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) (Withdrawn 2024)
E2327-15e1 Standard Practice for Quality Assurance of Laboratories Performing Seized-Drug Analysis (Withdrawn 2024)
E2548-16 Standard Guide for Sampling Seized Drugs for Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis (Withdrawn 2025)
E3085-17 Standard Guide for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Forensic Tape Examinations
E2329-17 Standard Practice for Identification of Seized Drugs
E2808-21a Standard Guide for Microspectrophotometry in Forensic Paint Analysis
E1610-18 Standard Guide for Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison
E2937-18 Standard Guide for Using Infrared Spectroscopy in Forensic Paint Examinations
E2881-18 Standard Test Method for Extraction and Derivatization of Vegetable Oils and Fats from Fire Debris and Liquid Samples with Analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
E2997-16 Standard Test Method for Analysis of Biodiesel Products by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
E3189-19 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Static Headspace Concentration onto an Adsorbent Tube
E1413-19 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Dynamic Headspace Concentration onto an Adsorbent Tube
E2882-19 Standard Guide for Analysis of Clandestine Drug Laboratory Evidence
E1618-19 Standard Test Method for Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
E1412-19 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Passive Headspace Concentration with Activated Charcoal
E2125-19 Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Phencyclidine and Its Analogues
E1969-19 Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Methamphetamine and Amphetamine
E1968-19 Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Cocaine
E2330-19 Standard Test Method for Determination of Concentrations of Elements in Glass Samples Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for Forensic Comparisons
E3233-20 Standard Practice for Forensic Tape Analysis Training Program
E3234-20 Standard Practice for Forensic Paint Analysis Training Program
E2764-11 Standard Practice for Uncertainty Assessment in the Context of Seized-Drug Analysis (Withdrawn 2020)
E3245-20e1 Standard Guide for Systematic Approach to the Extraction, Analysis, and Classification of Ignitable Liquids and Ignitable Liquid Residues in Fire Debris Samples
E1385-00 Standard Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Steam Distillation (Withdrawn 2009)
E2326-14 Standard Practice for Education and Training of Seized-Drug Analysts (Withdrawn 2023)
E1387-01 Standard Test Method for Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography (Withdrawn 2010)
E3196-21 Standard Terminology Relating to the Examination of Explosives
E3309-21 Standard Guide for Reporting of Forensic Primer Gunshot Residue (pGSR) Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS)
E3253-21 Standard Practice for Establishing an Examination Scheme for Intact Explosives
E3296-22 Standard Guide for Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry in Forensic Polymer Examinations
E2809-22 Standard Guide for Using Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) in Forensic Polymer Examinations
E3316-22 Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Hair by Microscopy
E3329-21e1 Standard Practice for Establishing an Examination Scheme for Explosive Residues
E2225-23 Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Fabrics and Cordage
E2228-23a Standard Guide for Microscopical Examination of Textile Fibers
E3254-23 Standard Practice for Use of Color in the Visual Examination and Forensic Comparison of Soil Samples
E2227-23e1 Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Dyes in Textile Fibers by Thin-Layer Chromatography
E3197-23 Standard Terminology Relating to Examination of Fire Debris
E1386-23 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Solvent Extraction
E3295-23 Standard Guide for Using Micro X-Ray Fluorescence (μ-XRF) in Forensic Polymer Examinations
E2224-23ae1 Standard Guide for Forensic Analysis of Fibers by Infrared Spectroscopy
E3175-23 Standard Practice for Training in the Forensic Examination of Hair by Microscopy
E3284-23 Standard Practice for Training in the Forensic Examination of Primer Gunshot Residue (pGSR) Using Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS)
E3294-23 Standard Guide for Forensic Analysis of Geological Materials by Powder X-Ray Diffraction
E2927-23 Standard Test Method for Determination of Trace Elements in Soda-Lime Glass Samples Using Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry for Forensic Comparisons
E3392-24 Standard Guide for Forensic Physical Fit Examination
E3391-24 Standard Terminology Relating to Gunshot Residue Analysis (GSR)
E1388-24 Standard Practice for Static Headspace Sampling of Vapors from Fire Debris Samples
E3423-24 Standard Guide for Forensic Analysis of Explosives By Polarized Light Microscopy
E3307-24 Standard Practice for the Collection and Preservation of Organic Gunshot Residue (OGSR)
E2999-25 Standard Test Methods for Analysis of Organic Compounds in Smokeless Powder by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
E2998-25 Standard Practice for Identification and Classification of Smokeless Powder
E3406-25e1 Standard Guide for Microspectrophotometry in Forensic Fiber Analysis
E1588-25 Standard Test Method for Primer Gunshot Residue Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry
E2926-25 Standard Test Method for Forensic Comparison of Glass Using Micro X-ray Fluorescence (µ-XRF) Spectrometry
Digital and Multimedia Evidence
E3235-21 Standard Practice for Latent Print Evidence Imaging Resolution
E3046-15 Standard Guide for Core Competencies for Mobile Phone Forensics (Withdrawn 2024)
E3016-18 Standard Guide for Establishing Confidence in Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Results by Error Mitigation Analysis
E3149-18 Standard Guide for Facial Image Comparison Feature List for Morphological Analysis
E2763-10 Standard Practice for Computer Forensics (Withdrawn 2019)
E2916-19e1 Standard Terminology for Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examination
E3017-19 Standard Practice for Examining Magnetic Card Readers
E2678-09(2014) Standard Guide for Education and Training in Computer Forensics (Withdrawn 2023)
E2825-21 Standard Guide for Forensic Digital Image Processing
E3115-17(2023) Standard Guide for Capturing Facial Images for Use with Facial Recognition Systems
E3148-18(2023) Standard Guide for Postmortem Facial Image Capture
E3150-18(2023) Standard Guide for Forensic Audio Laboratory Setup and Maintenance
E3445-24 Standard Practice for Image Processing to Improve Automated Facial Recognition Search Performance
Examiner Education and Training
E2000-05 Standard Guide for Minimum Basic Education and Training of Individuals Involved in the Detection of Deception (PDD) (Withdrawn 2014)
E2162-07 Standard Guide for Minimum Continuing Education of Individuals Involved in Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) Testing of Sex Offenders (Withdrawn 2016)
E2163-06(2014) Standard Guide for Minimum Training Requirements for Examiners Conducting Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) Testing of Sex Offenders in Treatment, Probation or Other Similar Programs (Withdrawn 2023)
E2064-00(2014) Standard Guide for Minimum Continuing Education of Individuals Involved in Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) (Withdrawn 2023)
General Practice
E3176-24 Standard Guide for Forensic Engineering Expert Reports
E2713-25 Standard Guide to Forensic Engineering
Industrial Processes
E2292-21 Standard Guide for Field Investigation of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Incidents
Instrumentation
E2439-09(2016) Standard Guide for Instrumentation, Sensors and Operating Software Used in Forensic Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (Polygraph) Examinations (Withdrawn 2025)
E2063-12(2017) Standard Practice for Calibration and Functionality Checks Used in Forensic Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (Polygraph) Examinations
Interdisciplinary Forensic Science Standards
E2123-20 Standard Practice for Preservation of Evidence in Sexual Violence Investigation
E2124-20 Standard Specification for Equipment and Supplies in Sexual Violence Investigations
E1843-20 Standard Guide for Sexual Violence Investigation, Examination, and Evidence Collection Protocol
E620-18 Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or Technical Experts
E3255-21 Standard Practice for Quality Assurance of Forensic Science Service Providers Performing Forensic Chemical Analysis
E1492-11(2017) Standard Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory
E678-07(2013) Standard Practice for Evaluation of Scientific or Technical Data (Withdrawn 2022)
E1020-13e1 Standard Practice for Reporting Incidents that May Involve Criminal or Civil Litigation (Withdrawn 2022)
E2549-14 Standard Practice for Validation of Seized-Drug Analytical Methods (Withdrawn 2023)
E860-22 Standard Practice for Examining and Preparing Items That Are or May Become Involved in Criminal or Civil Litigation
E3272-23 Standard Guide for Collection of Soils and Other Geological Evidence for Criminal Forensic Applications
E2057-23 Standard Specifications for Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual Violence Investigations
E2917-24a Standard Practice for Forensic Science Practitioner Training, Continuing Education, and Professional Development Programs
E1459-24 Standard Practice for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related Documentation
Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD)
E2324-04(2017) Standard Guide for PDD Paired Testing
E2062-11(2017) Standard Guide for PDD Examination Standards of Practice
E2386-04(2017) Standard Guide for Conduct of PDD Screening Examinations
E2229-09(2018) Standard Practices for Interpretation of Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (Polygraph) Data
E2080-14 Standard Guide for Clinical Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (PDD) Examinations for Sex Offenders (Withdrawn 2023)
Quality Control
E2031-99(2016) Standard Practice for Quality Control of Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (Polygraph) Examinations (Withdrawn 2025)
Research
E1954-05(2017) Standard Practice for Conduct of Research in Psychophysiological Detection of Deception (Polygraph)
Terminology
E2035-12(2024) Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Psychophysiology
