All substances and objects found in nature are formed by the combination of one or more of the more than 115 elements known in chemistry in various ways. It is not correct to define substances by looking at their external appearance. Substances may resemble each other in appearance. Powdered sugar, flour and starch are similar in appearance and color, but in reality they are very different from each other. Therefore, in order to identify substances, it is necessary to determine their chemical structure. This can only be done through chemical analysis.
Since all kinds of physical findings that may contribute to the elucidation of a criminal case have a unique chemical structure, the subjects that fall within the field of investigation of forensic chemistry laboratories are also very diverse.
Forensic chemistry started to take place in forensic sciences from the beginning of the 20th century in parallel with the developments in chemical science and became the most important branch of this science after World War II.
Forensic chemistry laboratories are the most important institutions that function in the field of forensic chemistry. In these laboratories, answers to three basic questions are sought: "What is this?", "Is there a relationship between this and others?" and "What are the characteristics of this?". While seeking answers to these questions, analysis and examination techniques are generally used to elucidate the chemical structure.
