Analysis of Fiber Interference in Fire Debris Residue Using Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) and Gas-Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry (GC-MS)

Abstract

Arson, sometimes referred to as deliberate fire, invariably entails the utilisation of flammable liquids. Synthetic fabrics may contain components that are present in ignitable liquids, as they are derived from petroleum-based sources. A significant proportion of the fabrics exhibited the presence of alkylbenzenes and n-alkanes. In a previous incident, an individual was falsely implicated in an act of arson due to the discovery of ignitable liquid residue, specifically toluene, on the suspect's footwear. Subsequent investigations revealed that the compound did not originate from an intentionally introduced flammable substance, but rather was an inherent constituent of the shoe substrate. The objective of this study is to assess if the chosen synthetic textile fibre has any components of ignitable liquids when subjected to combustion. The idea is to aid fire investigators by examining the potential interference that may arise from the presence of such components.