Trace metal analysis of commercially produced broadheads was conducted to determine the background level of copper and lead contained on the surface of the broadhead following manufacturing. The level of copper and lead from these broadheads was then compared to known copper and lead values from white-tailed deer to determine if inserting a broadhead into the wound tract would influence the quantitative analysis of the wound tract. Although inserting a broadhead into a firearm wound orifice post-mortem changes the morphological appearance of the wound orifice, it does not influence the analysis of the wound tract when analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Firearm wounds can be differentiated from arrow wounds quantitatively, using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, without concern of broadhead interference affecting the results.
