Advances in Fire Debris Analysis

Michael Sigman,Mary Williams

doi:10.3390/separations6010013

Michael Sigman, Mary Williams

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/separations6010013

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Abstract

The practice of forensic fire debris analysis and data interpretation in operational (i [...]

Highlights

Under the ASTM E1618, target compounds are only designated for the gasoline class, as well as the medium and heavy subclasses of petroleum distillates class
The standard provides for the use of “target compound chromatograms” [2]; these are rarely used by analysts
The ASTM standard directs the analyst to visually recognize the presence of class-associated chromatographic patterns in fire debris gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) total ion chromatograms and extracted ion profiles as a means of determining the presence of ignitable liquid residues

Summary

Introduction

Under the ASTM E1618, target compounds are only designated for the gasoline class, as well as the medium and heavy subclasses of petroleum distillates class (i.e., those in the C8–C20+ range). The forensic analyst must work through a complicated data set and arrive at a categorical decision and statement (report) regarding the presence or absence of an ignitable liquid. Target compounds are highly useful in the determination of gasoline residues in fire debris, but somewhat less useful for other ignitable liquid classes.

Results

Conclusion