Performance Scanning Electron Microscopic Investigations and Elemental Analysis of Hair of Different Animal Species for Forensic Identification

This study focused on the forensic identification of animal hair using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) to analyze hair from four different animal species: large ruminants (buffalo and cattle), small ruminants (goat and sheep), carnivores (cat and dog), and equines (donkey and horse). The research identified distinct hair scale patterns, such as imbricate in large ruminants, goat, and horse; coronal in carnivores and donkey; and spinous in sheep. Morphometric measurements like cuticle layer thickness and cortex diameter were recorded, with the highest cuticle thickness in horses and the largest cortex diameter in buffalo. Elemental analysis revealed specific elements like bromine in sheep and magnesium and phosphorus in buffalo, with vanadium and titanium found only in cattle and dog. The study concluded that these techniques could effectively aid forensic investigations by providing a reference database for animal hair identification.